Longer Lonely Essays - Lakota People, , Term Papers

No Longer Lonely The sun shone and the children gleefully played as the lonely man in the worn blue sweater sat feeding the birds. He sat there every day, just feeding the birds and watching the children have their fun. As I ran around the paths in the park, I could see him sitting there, always alone. I slowly jogged around the path and as I rounded the sharp corner, I looked for the man who usually sat on the old bench in the far corner of the park. I could see him sitting there, one ankle, clothed in a shocking white athletic sock, crossed over his knee. He wore the same thing every day, the clothes looked like they had seen better days. His muddy brown pants were threadbare and looked like they belonged to a giant. To hold them up he had to use suspenders, on this bright morning he had chosen a crimson red pair. Covering his stooped shoulders was a worn blue sweater, the color made me think of cornflowers. Navy and dirty white canvas sneakers adorned his feet. His white sock could be seen through a gaping hole in the sole. These shoes had taken him to many different places. They were like an old friend that he couldn't say goodbye to. On this particular day the sun was shining down, warming the earth and lake, so many children played on the wooden swing set. From where I stood on the path, I could hear their cheerful shouts, but could not see them. What I could see was the old man's face. He had strong features: a broad nose, deep-set eyes, and pronounced cheekbones. They had all sunken into a deep sea of wrinkles over the years. You could tell that he had once been a handsome young man. He was of an average height, but appeared taller as he sat with a ramrod straight back. His eyes were an aquatic blue color, like the water off of the coast of Puerto Rico. His hair was receding and had turned a pure white instead of burnished silver. He appeared to be a distinguished gentleman. He watched the children swing and slide on the rickety swing set. From where I stood there appeared to be a look of nostalgia on his face. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Was it a memory of his own childhood? Whatever the memory was, it made him appear to be missing something. While he sat looking at the children, he reached beside him and pulled out a brown lunch bag, spotted with grease marks. Slowly, with liver spotted hands, he reached into the bag. The act of curling his fingers around something inside made him wince in pain. I could imagine the pain that his body was wracked with, thanks to arthritis. I wanted to run up and help him, but the look of determination on his face stopped me from approaching him. Carefully extracting his hand, he pulled out a handful of birdseed and bread crumbs. With a wide sweep of his arm, he spread the mixture all over the ground. He repeated this act several times, until a few gray pigeons came to feast. With a small smile on his face, he watched the birds eat their meal. It was the happiest I had ever seen him. Slowly, so as not to disturb the birds, I approached the balding man. Sitting down next to him I introduced myself. Nodding his head, he mentioned that he often saw me running. Spreading birdseed from the mixture he offered me, I felt relaxed. Smelling the warm earth and listening to the children's cries mixed with the sounds of nature was wonderful. I could feel the tension easing out of me. As I sat next to him I observed his facial expressions. He appeared to be oddly at peace. Curious about what he was thinking to appear so content, I asked him what he was thinking. His response surprised me, something that rarely happens. He told me that he was no longer lonely; he now had me. A lonely old man in the park taught me an important lesson. Sometimes the greatest things are overlooked. I only saw him as a lonely old man missing something from his life. Then I sat down next to him. Next time, instead of observing, maybe I'll sit with him again. Sometimes, sitting next to someone and keeping them company, is all the happiness they will

Juan Sebastián Elcano, Ferdinand Magellans Replacement

Juan Sebastin Elcano, Ferdinand Magellan's Replacement Juan Sebastin Elcano (1487–August 4, 1526) was a Spanish (Basque) sailor, navigator, and explorer best remembered for leading the second half of the first round-the-world navigation, having taken over after the death of Ferdinand Magellan. Upon his return to Spain, the King presented him with a coat of arms that contained a globe and the phrase: â€Å"You Went Around Me First.† Fast Facts: Juan Sebastian Elcano Known For: Leading the second half of Ferdinand Magellans first round-the-world navigation after Magellan diedBorn: 1487 in Guetaria, a fishing village in Gipuzkoa, SpainParents: Domingo Sebastian de Elcano and Dona Catalina del PuertoDied: August 4, 1526 at sea (Pacific Ocean)Spouse: NoneChildren: A son Domingo del Cano by Mari Hernandez de Hernialde and an unnamed daughter by Maria de Vidaurreta of Valladolid Early Life Juan Sebastin Elcano (in Basque; the Spanish spelling of his name is written as del Cano) was born in 1487 in Guetaria, a fishing village in the Guipuzcoa province of Spain. He was the eldest of nine children of Domingo Sebastian de Elcano and Dona Catalina del Puerto. He was related to the Gaiza de Arzaus and Ibarrola families, who held important positions in the Casa de Contratacion in Seville, the Spanish crowns agency for the Spanish empire, a thin but later useful family connection. Elcano and his brothers became seafarers, learning navigation by ferrying contraband goods to French ports. He was an adventurer, fighting with the Spanish Army in Algiers and Italy before settling down as captain/owner of a merchant ship. As a young man, however, he led a prodigal and wayward life and often had more debts than money to pay them. Italian companies demanded that he surrender his ship to cover his debts, but he later found he had broken Spanish law by doing so and had to ask the king for a pardon. Young King Charles V agreed, but on the condition that the skilled sailor and navigator (with good connections) serve with an expedition the king was funding: the search for a new route to the Spice Islands, led by Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan. The Magellan Expedition Elcano was given the position of ship’s master on board the Concepcià ³n, one of five ships making up the fleet. Magellan believed that the globe was smaller than it actually is and that a shortcut to the Spice Islands (now known as the Maluku Islands in present-day Indonesia) was possible by going through the New World. Spices such as cinnamon and cloves were immensely valuable in Europe at the time and a shorter route would be worth a fortune to whoever found it. The fleet set sail in September 1519 and made its way to Brazil, avoiding Portuguese settlements due to hostilities between the Spanish and Portuguese. As the fleet made its way south along the coast of South America looking for a passage west, Magellan decided to call a halt in the sheltered bay of San Julin because he feared continuing on in bad weather. Left idle, the men began to talk of mutiny and returning to Spain. Elcano was a willing participant and had by then assumed command of the ship San Antonio. At one point, Magellan ordered his flagship to fire on the San Antonio. In the end, Magellan put down the mutiny and had many of the leaders killed or marooned. Elcano and others were pardoned, but not until after a period of forced labor on the mainland. To the Pacific Around this time, Magellan lost two ships: the San Antonio returned to Spain (without permission) and the Santiago sank, although all of the sailors were rescued. By this time, Elcano was captain of the Concepcià ³n, a decision by Magellan that probably had much to do with the fact that the other experienced ships captains had been executed or marooned after the mutiny or had gone back to Spain with the San Antonio. In October–November 1520, the fleet explored the islands and waterways at the southern tip of South America, eventually finding a passage through what is known today as the Strait of Magellan. According to Magellan’s calculations, the Spice Islands should have only been a few days of sailing away. He was badly mistaken: his ships took four months to cross the South Pacific. Conditions were miserable on board and several men died before the fleet reached Guam and the Marianas Islands and were able to resupply. Continuing westward, they reached the present-day Philippines in early 1521. Magellan found he could communicate with the natives through one of his men, who spoke Malay: they had reached the eastern edge of the world known to Europe. Death of Magellan In the Philippines, Magellan befriended the King of Zzubu, who was eventually baptized with the name of â€Å"Don Carlos.† Unfortunately, Don Carlos convinced Magellan to attack a rival chieftain for him, and Magellan was one of several Europeans killed in the ensuing battle. Magellan was succeeded by Duarte Barbosa and Juan Serrao, but both were treacherously killed by â€Å"Don Carlos† within a few days. Elcano was now second in command of the Victoria, under Juan Carvalho. Low on men, they decided to scuttle the Concepcià ³n and head back to Spain in the two remaining ships: the Trinidad and the Victoria. Return to Spain Heading across the Indian Ocean, the two ships made a stop in Borneo before finding themselves at the Spice Islands, their original goal. Packed with valuable spices, the ships set out again. About this time, Elcano replaced Carvalho as captain of the Victoria. The Trinidad soon had to return to the Spice Islands, however, as it was leaking badly and eventually sank. Many of the Trinidad’s sailors were captured by the Portuguese, although a handful managed to find their way to India and from there back to Spain. The Victoria sailed on cautiously, as they had gotten word that a Portuguese fleet was looking for them. Miraculously evading the Portuguese, Elcano sailed the Victoria back into Spain on September 6, 1522. By then, the ship was crewed by only 22 men: 18 European survivors of the voyage and four Asians they had picked up en route. The rest had died, deserted or, in some cases, been left behind as unworthy of sharing in the spoils of the rich cargo of spices. The King of Spain received Elcano and granted him a coat of arms bearing a globe and the Latin phrase Primus circumdedisti me, or â€Å"You Went Around Me First.† Death and Legacy In 1525, Elcano was picked to be the chief navigator for a new expedition led by the Spanish nobleman Garcà ­a Jofre de Loaà ­sa, who intended to retrace Magellan’s route and establish a permanent colony in the Spice Islands. The expedition was a fiasco: of seven ships, only one made it to the Spice Islands, and most of the leaders, including Elcano, perished of malnutrition during the arduous Pacific crossing. Elcano wrote a last will and testament, leaving money to his two illegitimate children and their mothers back in Spain, and died on August 4, 1526. Because of his elevation to noble status upon his return from the Magellan expedition, Elcano’s descendants continued to hold the title of Marquis for some time after his death. As for Elcano himself, he has unfortunately been mostly forgotten by history, as Magellan still gets all the credit for the first circumnavigation of the globe. Elcano, although well-known to historians of the Age of Exploration (or Age of Discovery), is little more than a trivia question to most, although there is a statue of him in his hometown of Getaria, Spain and the Spanish Navy once named a ship after him. Sources Fernandez de Navarrete, Eustaquio. Historia De Juan Sebastian Del Cano. Nicholas de Soraluce y Zubizarreta, 1872. Mariciano, R. De Borja. Basques in the Philippines. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2005. Sebastian del Cano, Juan. Original of the Testament of Juan Sebastian Del Cano Made on Board the Ship, Victoria, One of the Ships of Comendador Garcia De Loaysa on Its Way to the South Sea. The Philippines under Spain; a Compilation and Translation of Original Documents. Book 1 (1518-1565): The Voyages of Discovery. Eds. Benitez Licuanan, Virginia and Josà © Llavador Mira. Manila: National Trust for Historical and Cultural Preservation of the Philippines, 1526 (1990). Thomas, Hugh. Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan. 1st edition, Random House, June 1, 2004.

Booker T. Washington, African-American Educator

Booker T. Washington, African-American Educator Booker Taliaferro Washington grew up the child of a slave in the South during the Civil War. Following emancipation, he moved with his mother and stepfather to West Virginia, where he worked in salt furnaces and a coal mine but also learned to read. At age 16, he made his way to Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, where he excelled as a student and later took on an administrative role. His belief in the power of education, strong personal  morals, and economic self-reliance earned him to a position of influence among both black and white Americans of the time. He launched Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, now Tuskegee University, in a one-room shanty in 1881, serving as the schools principal until his death in 1915. Dates:  April 5, 1856 (undocumented) - November 14, 1915 His Childhood Booker Taliaferro was born to Jane, a slave who cooked on a Franklin County, Virginia plantation owned by James Burroughs, and an unknown white man. The surname Washington came from his stepfather, Washington Ferguson. Following the end of the Civil War in 1865, the blended family, which included step-siblings, moved to West Virginia, where Booker worked in salt furnaces and a coal mine. He later secured a job as a houseboy for the mine owners wife, an experience he credited with his respect for cleanliness, thrift, and hard work. His illiterate mother encouraged his interest in learning, and Washington managed to attend an elementary school for black children. Around the age of 14, after traveling on foot 500 miles to get there, he enrolled in Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. His Continuing Education and Early Career Washington attended Hampton Institute from 1872 to 1875. He distinguished himself as a student, but he did not have a clear ambition upon graduation. He taught both children and adults back in his West Virgina hometown, and he briefly attended the Wayland Seminary in Washington, D.C. He went back to Hampton as an administrator and teacher, and while there, received the recommendation that led him to the principalship of a new Negro Normal School approved by the Alabama state legislature for Tuskegee. He later earned honorable degrees from both Harvard University and Dartmouth College. His Personal Life Washingtons first wife, Fannie N. Smith, died after just two years of marriage. They had one child together. He remarried and had two children with his second wife, Olivia Davidson, but she too died just four years later. He met his third wife, Margaret J. Murray, at Tuskegee; she helped raise his children and remained with him until his death. His Major Accomplishments Washington was chosen in 1881 to head the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. During his tenure until his death in 1915, he built Tuskegee Institute into one of the worlds leading centers of education, with a historically black student body. Though Tuskegee remained his primary undertaking, Washington also put his energy towards expanding educational opportunities for black students throughout the South. He founded the National Negro Business League in 1900. He also sought to help impoverished black farmers with agricultural education and promoted health initiatives for blacks. He became a sought-after speaker and advocate for blacks, though some were angered at his seeming acceptance of segregation. Washington advised two American presidents on racial matters, Theodore Roosevelt  and William Howard Taft. Among numerous articles and books, Washington published his autobiography, Up From Slavery, in 1901. His Legacy Throughout his life, Washington stressed the importance of education and employment for black Americans. He advocated cooperation between the races  but was at times criticized for accepting segregation. Some other prominent leaders of the time,  especially  W.E.B. Dubois, felt his views promoting vocational education for blacks curtailed their civil rights and social advancement. In his later years, Washington began to agree with his more liberal contemporaries on the best methods for achieving equality.

How can HR management systems and practices in Malaysia businesses be Essay

How can HR management systems and practices in Malaysia businesses be re-designed using KM and OL principles to increase innovat - Essay Example The various HRM practices would give an insight into the functionality of the Malaysian organizations and on the various procedures of conducting operations like training, selection, staffing and recruitment (Barnes 2002, 220-320). Finally, the study will highlight how the inclusion of OL and KM principles would lead to the betterment of the functionality of the organizations. Human Resources Management Practices in Malaysia In Malaysian organizations, the focus is on the integration of HR activities and practices which requires the alignment of the existing personal HR practices with the interests of the employee and personnel (Gelder 2005, 322). The strategic importance and emphasis is given on the integration of activities in the electronic industry of Malaysia. This strategic integration is an important element as it helps in solving the complexities of the problems and also, in assessing the interpretation of the problems (Gill 2000, 23). The HR strategy formulation is also give n its much deserved importance in Malaysian organizations which lay emphasis on the development and implementation of internal consistent polices and practices designed for the accomplishment of objectives (Hashim 2009, 224). The HRM practices in the human resource development process helps in the organizational innovation process. Malaysian organizations concentrate on the importance of the HR business and organizational strategy and also, on the protection of assets. However, it has been observed that the Malaysian organization does not believe in the job rotation facilities and hammers on imparting the operation knowledge (Haslinda and Sarinah 2013, 324). The Malaysian organizations are highly dependent on technological innovations and procedures which need to be re-designed constructively for enhancing the organizational outcome and also, for improving the existing systems. Figure 1: Human Resources in Malaysia (Source: Curtin University of Technology 2005). Redesigning of HR Pr actices using the Knowledge & Organizational Learning Principles Knowledge Management (KM) principles help in the improvement of the existing systems by employing own attributes (Institutional Repository 2006).There are several methods to implement the change management techniques for continuous improvement in the existing systems (Laiken 2001, 23). This is because the KM principles vary according to the situation and help in the improvement of the operational abilities of the organization (Infed 2013). The process is not iterative and relies heavily on the management systems. It aids the amalgamation of the engineering process and systems and also, the analysis of the organizational dynamics (Lee and Ahn 2001, 213). The structuring of organizational dynamics would be required for the integration of activities and systems which would address all the organizational issues and problems. The model is used to hone the skills of the employees, redesign the organizational structure and al so, gain expertise through the exchange of knowledge systems with their colleagues. The Malaysian organization needs to emphasize on their functioning in three important facets of the organization. They are namely, virtual work team, community of practice (COP) and expertise network systems. These three elements stress on the creation and

Microprocessor Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Microprocessor Industry - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Intel has a competitive advantage creating its brand image; a point that effects from numerous competitive advantages indulging technological, distribution marketing as well as the ownership of Intel manufactures PCs. However, to improve on their value Intel is trying to keep their clients as their priority and promote dynamics on a regular basis to meet the demand of the employers. Product penetration and market penetration is very instrumental as they center on the existing markets. Moreover, relevant diversification for Intel will be a huge triumph especially as they have centered on broadband and portion. In conclusion, Intel has been very instrumental in the microprocessor industry and might have had some lapses last year that it is never too late to correct. The researcher thinks the company should put the customer’s interests at heart to make more sales and avoid what had happened last year when the world was going tablets. This report will analyze the business strategy of Intel Company looking into details at its resources and capabilities. It will also look into the Critical appraisal where the author compares the Intel’s business strategy to the success factors in this industry. The semi-conductor industry lives and perishes- by a simple creed: smaller, cheaper and faster. The advantage of being tiny is simple: finer lines insinuate more transistors can be fixed onto the same chip. The more the number of transistors on the chip the more efficient it is. Thanks in the large chunk to the competition and to new technologies that reduce the cost of production per chip, in just months; the price of a new chip can fall to 50%. As a result, there is a constant pressure exerted on the chipmakers, to improve their chips and come up with something better and more pocket-friendly than what redefined state-of-the-art a few months ago.

Logistical and dramatic factors to be decided upon in a production of Philadelphia Essay Example for Free

Logistical and dramatic factors to be decided upon in a production of Philadelphia Essay Friel raises issues, explores them to a certain degree. However the end is left open. The play â€Å"Philadelphia, Here I Come!† is both realistic as it presents real life situation, but also expressionistic, trying to dig into Gar’s subconscious. Gar has a choice to make, ultimatum that could vary depending if S.B. was to reveal his true emotions towards his son. Gar lacks the same attribute as his father; the ability to communicate with one another. Gar also failed to make an oral impression on Katie’s father in the past and this element cost him her hand in marriage. We are presented with Private Gar and Public Gar on the stage. Public Gar is the Gar that people see, talk to and talk about. Private Gar is the unseen character, the alter ego of our main hero. Although Public Gar is the only person that can hear Private talk he never looks at him, he cannot look at his alter ego. On stage two characters play Public and Private. One utters what is acceptable and the other utters what he’d really like to say if he wasn’t so inhabited. The central struggle is not between the public and private but between Gar both private and public and his father S.B. Apples don’t fall far from the tree, also outlined in the play by Madge who describes them as â€Å"two peas† that way Gar and S.B. are very similar, they are both afraid and embarrassed of expressing themselves emotionally. Neither one of them wants to look soft nor weak in front of one another, being emotionless proves their masculinity. Gar cannot think straight talking to his father, he contradicts with his thoughts and feels awkward just like he did asking Katie’s parents for her hand in marriage. Eventually we are taken back in time via flashback where we see Gar and Katie in love, they are planning to get married although Gar doesn’t earn enough to support them both, he is afraid to ask S.B. for a rise. Friel made a very deep and realistic attempt to present an ordinary Irish family and problems they are faced with, lack of money in the sixties and most importantly the overdose of masculinity which leads to lack of communication between father and son, issue that may occur in many people’s lives. Music is used to outline the mood changes and current flow of emotions of certain characters; Gar uses a turntable to present his mood and eventually gets frustrated and changes the record to a much more dynamic track, this way author presents the emotions of characters to the audience. The piece of music seems to suggest anxiety, change, and excitement – all emotions that Gar is feeling at that particular moment. This way Brial Friel attempts to dig into Gar’s subconscious. There is a nearly institutional quality to the shades of green, and the dim overhead lighting focuses attention in the central spaces over the kitchen table and Gar’s bed in the two rooms of the split set. Almost everything happens round the kitchen table, Gar’s friends drink and talk, S.B. plays a game with Cannon, Gar talk to S.B. about irrelevant stuff. The entire play happens within twenty-four hours and we are reminded of it throughout by the highlighted clock in the kitchen and clamorous sounds of the clock ticking in between the events. This way, Friel wants to point out the inner conflict of our main hero of the play, his time is running out and eventually, it will be for him to decide whether he leaves for Philadelphia or stays in Ballybeg. This is a play about finding one’s place in the world wherever that might be. Madge clears out some of the unresolved issues by telling us how Gar’s mother died and that S.B. in fact does have feelings but is unable to show them in public, it buggers him and he couldn’t get any sleep the night before Gar’s departure â€Å"It must have been near daybreak when he got to sleep last night†. Even though Gar’s new career in Philadelphia is meant to give him a new life, with lots of money and anything he would have ever wished for. Madge sees this as a way of escaping from Ballybeg and most importantly his father, â€Å"and when he’s the age of the boss, he’ll turn out just the same. And although I won’t be there to see it, you’ll find he’s learned nothing in between time†. Another important relationship is the one between Gar and Katie; they were in a serious relationship when they were younger. Her Father, Senator Doogan refused for them to marry after Gar miserably failed to make a positive verbal impression on Katie’s father. This scene is presented with a flashback where Gar’s mind flows back in time to that particular event. Kathy and Gar are happy together in his vision, Private Gar sarcastically responds to Kathy’s concerns about their possible future and money issues, â€Å"(imitating) how will we live?† Gar often repeated Edmond Burke’s speech on French Revolution â€Å"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the Queen of France, then the Dauphiness, at Versailles† he eventually realises that all this time he has been thinking about Kathy Doogan, this way Friel dug deep inside Gar’s subconscious by revealing his repression of emotions. In the end we don’t know whether he leaves for Philadelphia or stays in Ballybeg. Friel decided to keep the ending opened it’s for us to figure out whether he has any reason to leave or perhaps stay. In conclusion, Friel uses many stage directions to connect the audience with the characters. He presents us with Private Gar, alter ego that raises many concerns about his inner feelings, which we wouldn’t know about if Friel was to use just Public Gar. Flashback is presented to show previous events from the past in order to get deeper understanding of Gar. Music is outlined in the play to show Gar’s current emotions and their change for example we can tell his mood changes as he decides to play a much faster song. The entire play happens within twenty-four and we are reminded of it by the highlighted clock in the kitchen and clamorous sounds of it in between the scenes. Issue of the lack of communication between Gar and S.B. never gets resolved; we can tell that both of the characters suffer, as they’d like to express themselves. In the end with an open ending and not much gets resolved. It’s up to the reader to put the events in order and make personal judgement on the possible outcomes that may have resulted in the play.

Bright Star Essay -- Literary Analysis, Eliza Heywood

Eliza Haywood is a visionary. In her set of love letters, Love Letters on All Occasions, Haywood distinctly uses select words, such as metaphors, to subconsciously drive home the message to the reader. Whether it be re-enforcing the relationship between the two writers, or rather undercutting it, the reader understands their relationship more fully thanks to Haywood’s choice words. In Haywood’s collection Love Letters on All Occasions from her novel Fantomina and Other Works, two letters in particular, â€Å"Letter XXV† and â€Å"Letter XXVII†, Haywood’s use of metaphors and select word choices help to reinforce the sentiment between the writers to the reader. In â€Å"Letter XXV,† Haywood writes a letter from Theano to Elismonda. Reading the letter, the reader can clearly tell that Theano is madly in love with Elismonda. The fact that Haywood ends the letter with Theano writing, â€Å"My most loved, most Ador’d Elisamonda’s Constantly Zealous Votary, Theano† (Haywood 196) might as well be the final decal in the room Theano has built for Elismonda in his heart. Haywood’s use of the phrase â€Å"zealous votary† is one of the occasions where she re-enforces Theano’s love for Elismonda. Apart, the words â€Å"zealous† and â€Å"votary† don’t mean much. The Oxford English Dictionary defines zealous as â€Å"having or showing zeal,† (Oxford 1) which is â€Å"great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective† (1). Votary is defined as â€Å"a person, such as a monk or nun, who has made vows of dedication to religious service† (1). Haywoodâ €™s combination of the two terms is a metaphor for Theano’s devotion to Elismonda. He is constantly showing great enthusiasm in pursuit of Elismonda, who he views almost as a religion. He is a â€Å"votary,† but not as a monk or nun making ... ... her and knows he would never cross her. Haywood’s response letter written from Elismonda to Theano uses select language and references to his letters to re-enforce the readers apprehension of the complete and utter love these two writers feel for each other. Haywood uses metaphors and select word choices to help reinforce the sentiment between the writers to the reader in two letters, â€Å"Letter XXV† and â€Å"Letter XXVII† in her collection Love Stories on All Occasions from her novel Fantomina and Other Works. Unlike many works from this time frame, both Theano and Elismonda are madly in love with each other and desire each other greatly. This is a rare case of a happy couple in the age of Seduction Fiction, where most tales often ended in tragedy. Haywood’s account of Theano and Elismonda could be considered one of the bright stars in an otherwise cloudy night sky.

Organizational Behavior Essay

An effective organization or agency exhibits behavior conducive to a healthy workplace. The employees are motivated, satisfied, good communicators, and team-oriented. These elements help to promote a successful organization. Missing elements could disband an agency or create a hostile environment. Specific fundamentals can develop skills necessary to improve individual and organizational practices. Scientific foundations of organizational behavior suggest that individual attitudes, group dynamics, and relationships between managers and workers are an important focus (Schermerhorn, 2010). A positive attitude can have many benefits: less stress, self control, better relationships, and job security. A positive attitude can influence others and help build strong working relationships. This also affects job performance and assures the organization that its employees are satisfied. The goal of organizational behavior is to improve the performance of people, groups, organizations, and improve the quality of life (Schermerhorn, 2010). Motivation is an element that can be a driving force to an organization or the individuals involved. An employee’s sole motivation is personal or job development or financial purposes. The solution is to identify the factor that motivates an employee to attend work every day as scheduled and performs to the best of his or her abilities. These individuals set and achieve goals consistently and with persistence. This type of determination benefits the agency and the individual’s reputation. High employee performance relies on effective communication, creativity, and respect. Managers must be able to communicate with employees without fear. The mutual respect allows employees to provide feedback and actively respond. This permits an equal contribution within the team. The employee dynamic is the way in which coworkers interact with one another and their managers. Managers can assess the behavioral and organizational status of their workplace by asking employees to approach them when a problem arises  (Marquis, n.d.). Management practices must be tailored to fit the exact nature of each situation or individual. Managers must be able to understand the challenges and demands for different situations and craft responses to them that best fit circumstances or people involved (Schermerhorn, 2010). This makes the agency resilient and adaptable to various situations. Diversity in an organization is essential to recognize differences based on gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and only considering the performance of the individual. A diverse set of skills allows the agency to assist customers on a global scale. Successful organizations foster an attitude of openness and encourage new ideas and challenges. This is especially important in criminal justice and security organizations in which diversity is evident in communities. Employees will be introduced to a variety of cultures and diverse situations in which they will have to know how to correspond. Diversity in justice and security agencies promotes equal treatment under law. This protects the agency from over representing a specific racial group or other population from the streets to the court. Diversity is an element that proves effective internally and externally of any organization. No employee will be the same; personalities, social traits, and values will differ. It is the way the agency manages these situations that sets them apart. Ultimately, employee commitment defines the agency. Employee performance is directly related to his or her commitment to the jobs and the agency. Employees are representatives of the agency mission statement. The employee’s performance is motivated by passion or reward. The agency must reinforce positive behavior that demonstrates commitment. Employees exchange his or her commitment to performance to the organizations commitment of reward. The reward can be promotional, pay grade increase, material, or other form of recognition. Some employees are high performers because they love their job and are results driven. In every organization is a natural or appointed leader. The leader must be able to influence others to perform the organizations expectations and beyond. A formal leader is responsible for his or her results through talent management. Any agency is only as good as its employees; it is the duty of the leader to level set those expectations and lead through example. A leader is confident in his ability to encourage his staff to produce positive outcomes. The leader is concerned with task objectives, ethical, and well adjusted. Leaders in a criminal justice or security agency have many strong individuals to lead. Each of them is carefully selected and most of them will be leaders in his or her right. They are of good moral and ethical character, intelligent, professional, and influential. These individuals are representing a government agency working to accomplish a shared objective. These elements are crucial to the success of the organization and its members. References Marquis, A. (n.d.). Key Elements for Effective Behavior and Organizational Management. Retrieved November 19, 2012 from http://smallbusiness.chrone.com/key-elements-effective-behavior-organizational-management-43874.html Schermerhorn, R., Hunt, J.G., Osborn, R.N., Uhl-Blen, M. (2010). Organizational Behavior (7th ed.) Hoboken, NJ: JohnWiley & Sons.

Highfield video store currently Essay

Highfield video store currently uses a paper system to perform all the functions required for this business. Before I reach a decision on how to produce an advanced and improved system to the existing system it is imperative to choose the correct software to overcome this situation. I will need to evaluate and consider the factors that need to be tackled on producing this system by evaluating the end users requirements and expectations f the system to ensure the software chosen has the capability to overcome these requirements successfully and competently. As the company is looking for a more flexible data management system, so a database system is likely to be the right solution. Using Microsoft Access as a solution Advantages: o Microsoft Access is a relational database management system which allows a one to many relationships between tables. Thus greatly reduces data inconsistency and data redundancy. o Uses a familiar interface to perform a range of tasks such as; setting up tables, forms, queries, macros and reports. o This software allows complex procedures such as querying, report and form creation, filtering to be produced and mastered by inexperienced users via the use of wizards. o Access can provide a variety of user friendly forms for different functions through the toolbox features of this software which include list boxes, command buttons, check boxes, labels etc. This allows forms to be customised and concurrently have a familiar look and feel of the forms. o Contains advanced features such as queries which can answer complex requests which the user may have and provide a combination of data from multiple tables and place specific boundaries on the data retrieved. Report features have the capacity to produce attractive professional formatted summaries of data contained in more than one table. Also macros can also perform complex or numerous operations with a click of a button/icon. Disadvantages: o This software package very large and complex piece of software. Therefore, it requires a lot of patience and perseverance to familiarize and learn the vast number of features available in this database package. o Microsoft Access is designed to manage small number of database records and the performance of the system will reduce with an increase in records as the software is a low capacity database. Using Microsoft Excel as a solution Advantages: o Numerous functions are available to perform a range of diverse tasks. These include VLOOKUPS which looks for a value in the leftmost column within a table and then returns a value in the same row from a column you specify. Other functions include COUNTIF, DCOUNT, MATCH etc. Also contains macro which can automate a series of commands and functions. o Excel forms can also be customised to satisfy the users requirements with different methods of data entry and appearance of the forms. o Graphs can be created to summarise data in a number of different graphs to allow the data to be more understandable to the user and also produces a professional outlook. Disadvantages: o The recording of macros can be problematic as it is easy to make a mistake and the whole process needs to be repeated again. This requires an experienced person with sound knowledge of macros and formulas to perform this task. o Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet package and doesn’t features such a relational database which are available in Access. Therefore data and tables need to be entered again leading to unnecessary data redundancy and data consistency. o Creating and editing macros needs to be done via Visual Basic Editor program in Excel. Users of this program need to be experienced in using this program as the macros commands need to be programmed by the user. This requires a sound knowledge as it requires commands to be written in a specific way and have the ability to remember the language to execute these commands. Solution using Lotus Pro Chosen solution From a detailed analysis of the Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, and Lotus Pro software I have decided after discussion with the end user to use Microsoft Access to produce the system I will create. Database packages are used for storing and retrieving information or data. With this type of software the user can set up table with relationships, set up queries, set up macros and make reports. The wizard features on certain database packages allows the complexity of administration tasks to be greatly reduced. The system I will produce will be created from using the Microsoft Access database package because of the following reasons: o Microsoft Access has the capacity to produce relational tables. This leads to a reduction in data redundancy and data inconsistency as data doesn’t need to be entered again due to the relationships which can be imported from one table into many other tables if needed. o The system can be customised to provide the end user with an interface which he requires. The forms can be customised to look and allow data entry in the method which the user requires. The toolbars can also be customised to allow the system to be even more user friendly. o A number of tasks which require a series of functions will be repeated a number of times when the system is in use. These series of function can be automated with the use of macros which Microsoft Access has. o Microsoft Access can provide customised reports to summarise a set of data. Access allows data to be brought together in a report which can be tailored to the user choice. So a professional output which is in line with the companies image can be produce whereas as other software such as Microsoft Excel would not have the capacity to do this. Data would need to be summarised into graphs and is difficult to suit the companies image so the output and interface of a system using this software would need be as professional compared to the software being use to created this system. o Access has the capability to update records in any table by setting up queries to update the necessary records. This will lead to more consistent data is it is more likely to be update and accurate. o Data and information that needs to be stored can be done so more easily due to the set up of the system. Tables are clearly defined and related, which is not the case with other software such as Microsoft Excel as relationships between tables cannot be emplaced.

Ethical relativism concept

Ethical relativism concept Introduction The concept of ethical relativism outlines that ethical principles and actions are relative to social norms. Stated differently, proponents of ethical relativism argue that ethical principles may be â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† but this judgment is only relative to social norms (Welch 516).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical relativism concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The concept of ethical relativism developed from cultural diversity, to mean that there are significant differences between the moral judgments of different people. Indeed, there is a lot of variation regarding the etiquette, moral values, and principles of different cultural groups. Therefore, even though people often disagree about whether an issue is â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† ethical relativism suggests that nobody should assume that their perception of ethics is correct, or incorrect. Since ethical principles may be â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† ethical relativism suggests that there should be tolerance among people, even in the face of serious disagreements regarding ethical positions. Since cultures and people disagree, there is no single criterion for evaluating the truthfulness or falseness of an ethical practice. Without an acceptable criterion for evaluating ethical practices, varying views regarding ethical and moral positions prevail. The concept of ethical relativism has been the subject of business ethics for several years, but few scholars have provided a definite direction regarding its validity in business. This paper adopts a simplistic version of the debate and demonstrates that cultural diversity affirms a â€Å"relative† interpretation of moral principles and actions.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ethnocentrism Ethnocent rism is a product of the failure to acknowledge that different cultures have unique sets of beliefs and values (Mustafa Hamid 37). When people do not acknowledge that this diversity exists, they often tend to isolate people that are different from them. Usually, ethnocentric people believe that their beliefs and values are the â€Å"right† set of beliefs and values, whereas other people are wrong in believing what they do (Mustafa Hamid 37). Cultural ethnocentrism normally happens when people impose the beliefs and values of one culture as the superior set of beliefs and values. Cultural ethnocentrism is normally bad for business because it creates divisions within different groups, especially in a multicultural environment. Indeed, when a group of people who share the same beliefs, values, and norms come together and impose the same values on a different group of people, they are likely to cause friction between themselves and the new group. This friction is likely to limi t diversity in the organization, thereby also curtailing other advantages of diversity (such as innovation and creativity). Ethnocentrism is therefore a manifestation of the failure to acknowledge that if people’s unique sets of beliefs and values differ from the dominant culture, it does not mean that the cultural beliefs of minority cultures are wrong; it only means that they are different. This idea is also true for businesses because it is wrong to judge the ethical or moral principles of one group of people, based on their cultural affiliations (Mustafa Hamid 37).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical relativism concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lack of a Common Ethical or Moral framework The concept of cultural or ethical diversity stems from our philosophical understanding of the world and the moral guidelines that define our actions. The lack of a common framework for outlining our ethical o r moral actions are especially profound in this context because people are equal and there is no justifiable ground to show that there are better human beings than others. Since people have equal human rights and equal capacities to make their moral or ethical decisions, it is incorrect to judge their actions as â€Å"superior† or â€Å"inferior†. In other words, no common ethical or moral framework defines people’s moral or ethical actions. Instead, people develop varying sets of beliefs and values according to their social norms. There is therefore no justification to say that the moral or ethical direction of one group of people is â€Å"superior† or â€Å"inferior† to another. Similarly, it is unfair to require one group of people to follow the ethical or moral principles of another culture because there is no common framework to define what sets of ethical or moral principles are â€Å"correct† and which ones are â€Å"false† (We lch 516). Assuming that one set of ethical or moral principles is superior to another would only amount to promoting inequality between societies because such an action would be preferential and unfair to other people.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, in the Japanese culture, customers who pay for services often expect personalized service. It is therefore unusual for Japanese service providers to give services that do not meet a customer’s personal need. Comparatively, in the western world (mainly America and Europe) customers pay for personalized services as an â€Å"extra† service from the service provider. In America, for example, people have to give tips if they expect exemplary service. In such an environment, some service providers would consider it rude if a person receives a personalized service and fails to give a tip to the service provider. The difference between Japanese and American business practices only outline the tip of the iceberg regarding the differences in business norms and practices between different cultures. Another example may be the prevalence of kickbacks and bribery as a â€Å"normal† business practice in most third world countries. Indeed, in many of these countrie s, government officials require kickbacks or bribery for the approval of business contracts, or the awarding of the same. In some of these countries, people consider this practice as a norm by accepting it as an important business requirement for success. Comparatively, many western cultures consider bribery and kickbacks as unethical and immoral business practices. In fact, most western business entities consider this practice as â€Å"unusual†. The differences in these business practices show that the definition of ethical and moral business practices differ across cultures. Social conditioning and programming therefore define the way businesses operate across different cultures. Ethical and Moral Time Adjustments Ethics and morality in business have always been controversial. The development of ethics and morality describe a product of human development, which questions what is â€Å"good† and what is â€Å"right† (Holmes 2). This development arose from the e xpanded capacity of human reasoning that has defined human civilization for centuries. The controversial nature of ethics and morality however stems from the changing contextual frameworks that define both concepts (this analysis closely relates to the idea that there is no single framework for judging people’s morals or ethics). Indeed, just as societies have different frameworks for assessing the ethical or moral implications of their actions, it is equally important to acknowledge that these ethical and moral actions are also subject to time adjustments. Stated differently, morality and ethics are normally subject to time variations, because what people consider â€Å"morally right† today may not necessarily be â€Å"moral† tomorrow. Many examples show how morality and ethics have changed across human societies. For example, recently, the isolation of women in social, economic, and political developments was an acceptable practice in many societies (including Western societies). For example, the society sidelined women in the workplace because many people perceived women to be homemakers. However, as civilization crept into many societies and feminist movement started to be more vocal about this issue, gender discrimination has become a strange concept, not only in business, but also in other aspects of social, economic, and political development (Holmes 2). This analysis shows that morality often changes, not only within the context of cultural relativism, but also in the context of time adjustments. It is therefore naà ¯ve to assume that ethical and moral actions are fixed, or that one narrow lens of moral or ethical principles may judge human actions. Conclusion Even though the concept of moral relativism is disputable, the acknowledgement that moral and ethical principles vary, poses more advantages than disadvantages to people and businesses. For example, it is possible to reduce moral and ethical conflicts if people stop to under stand moral and ethical principles from a narrow lens of their moral or ethical understanding. Certainly, this paper affirms that ethics and morality are flexible concepts because they vary not only across different societies, but also across different periods. Therefore, there is no ultimate standard of â€Å"appropriate† or â€Å"inappropriate† moral or ethical principles because the opinions on morality or ethics depend on the cultural perspective of the society in question. Comprehensively, this means that there are no â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong† moral or ethical principles to guide business conduct. Consequently, this paper affirms that cultural diversity shows us that moral principles and actions are relative. Holmes, Robert. Basic Moral Philosophy, New York: Wadsworth Incorporated Fulfillment, 2006. Print. Mustafa, Hasrina Hamid Hamidah. â€Å"Intercultural Relationship, Prejudice and Ethnocentrism in a Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC): A Time-Series Experiment.† Asian Social Science, 8.3 (2012): 34-48. Print. Welch, Patrick. â€Å"Moral psychology and the problem of moral criteria.† Journal of  Moral Education, 40.4 (2011): 513-526. Print.

Lucy Stone, Abolitionist and Womens Rights Reformer

Lucy Stone, Abolitionist and Women's Rights Reformer Lucy Stone (August 13, 1818–October 18, 1893)  was the first woman in Massachusetts to earn a college degree and the first woman in the United States to keep her own name after marriage. While she started out on the radical edge of womens rights at the beginning of her speaking and writing career, shes usually described as a leader of the conservative wing of the suffrage movement in her later years. The woman whose speech in 1850 converted Susan B. Anthony to the suffrage cause later disagreed  with Anthony over strategy and tactics, splitting the suffrage movement into two major branches after the Civil War. Fast Facts: Lucy Stone Known For: A major figure in the abolitionist and womens rights movements of the 1800sBorn: August 13, 1818 in West Brookfield, MassachusettsParents: Hannah Matthews and Francis StoneDied: October 18, 1893 in Boston, MassachusettsEducation: Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, Oberlin CollegeAwards and Honors:  Inducted into National Womens Hall of Fame; the subject of a U.S. postal stamp; statue placed in Massachusetts State House; featured in the Boston Womens Heritage TrailSpouse(s): Henry Browne BlackwellChildren: Alice Stone BlackwellNotable Quote: I believe that the influence of woman will save the country before every other power. Early Life Lucy Stone was born on August 13, 1818, on her familys Massachusetts farm in West Brookfield. She was the eighth of nine children, and as she grew up, she watched as her father ruled the household, and his wife, by divine right. Disturbed when her mother had to beg her father for money, she was also unhappy with the lack of support in her family for her education. She was faster at learning than her brothers, but they were to be educated while she was not. She was inspired in her reading by the Grimke sisters, who were abolitionists as well as proponents of womens rights. When the Bible was quoted to her, defending the positions of men and women, she declared that when she grew up, shed learn Greek and Hebrew so she could correct the mistranslation that she was sure was behind such verses. Education Her father would not support her education, so she alternated her own education with teaching to earn enough to continue. She attended several institutions, including Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1839. By age 25 four years later, she had saved enough to fund her first year at Oberlin College in Ohio, the countrys first college to admit both women and blacks. After four years of study at Oberlin College, all the while teaching and doing housework to pay for the costs, Lucy Stone graduated in 1847. She was asked to write a commencement speech for her class, but she refused because someone else would have had to read her speech because women were not allowed, even at Oberlin, to give a public address. Shortly after Stone, the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree, returned to her home state, she gave her first public speech. The topic was womens rights and she delivered the speech from the pulpit of her brothers Congregational Church in Gardner, Massachusetts. Thirty-six years after she graduated from Oberlin, she was an honored speaker at Oberlins 50th-anniversary celebration. The American Anti-Slavery Society A year after she graduated, Lucy Stone was hired as an organizer for the American Anti-Slavery Society. In this paid position, she traveled and gave speeches on abolition and womens rights. William Lloyd Garrison, whose ideas were dominant in the Anti-Slavery Society, said of her during her first year of working with the organization, She is a very superior young woman, and has a soul as free as the air, and is preparing to go forth as a lecturer, particularly in vindication of the rights of women. Her course here has been very firm and independent, and she has caused no small uneasiness in the spirit of sectarianism in the institution. When her womens rights speeches created too much controversy within the Anti-Slavery Society- some wondered whether she was diminishing her efforts on behalf of the abolition cause- she arranged to separate the two ventures, speaking on weekends on abolition and weekdays on womens rights, and charging admission for the speeches on womens rights. In three years, she earned $7,000 with these talks. Radical Leadership Stones radicalism on both abolition and womens rights brought large crowds. The talks also drew hostility: according to historian Leslie Wheeler, people tore down the posters advertising her talks, burned pepper in the auditoriums where she spoke, and pelted her with prayer books and other missiles. Having been convinced by using the Greek and Hebrew she learned at Oberlin that indeed the Biblical proscriptions on women were badly translated, she challenged those rules in churches that she found to be unfair to women. Raised in the Congregational Church, she was unhappy with its refusal to recognize women as voting members of congregations as well as their condemnation of the Grimke sisters for their public speaking. Finally expelled by the Congregationalists for her views and public speaking, she joined with the Unitarians. In 1850, Stone was a leader in organizing the first national womans rights convention, held in Worcester, Massachusetts. The 1848 convention in Seneca Falls had been an important and radical move, but the attendees were mostly from the local area. This was the next step. At the 1850 convention, Lucy Stones speech is credited with converting Susan B. Anthony to the cause of woman suffrage. A copy of the speech, which was sent to England, inspired John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor to publish The Enfranchisement of Women. Some years later, she also convinced Julia Ward Howe to adopt womens rights as a cause along with abolition. Frances Willard credited Stones work with her joining the suffrage cause. Marriage and Motherhood Stone had thought of herself as a free soul who would not marry; then she met Cincinnati businessman Henry Blackwell in 1853 on one of her speaking tours. Henry was seven years younger than Lucy and courted her for two years. Henry was anti-slavery and  pro-womens  rights. His eldest sister  Elizabeth Blackwell  (1821–1910), became the first woman physician in the United States, while another sister,  Emily Blackwell  (1826–1910), became a physician as well. Their brother Samuel later married  Antoinette Brown  (1825–1921), a friend of Lucy Stones at Oberlin and the first woman ordained as a minister in the United States. Two years of courtship and friendship convinced Lucy to accept Henrys offer of marriage. Lucy was especially impressed when he rescued a fugitive slave from her owners. She wrote to him, A wife should no more take her husbands name than he should hers. My name is my identity and must not be lost. Henry agreed with her. I wish, as a husband, to  renounce  all the privileges which the  law  confers upon me, which are not strictly  mutual. Surely  such a marriage  will not degrade you, dearest. And so,  in 1855, Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell married. At the ceremony, Minister Thomas Wentworth Higginson read  a statement by the bride and groom, renouncing and protesting the marriage laws of the time, and announcing that she would keep her name. Higginson published the ceremony widely with their permission. The couples daughter Alice Stone Blackwell was born in 1857. A son died at birth; Lucy and Henry had no other children. Lucy retired for a short period from active touring and public speaking and devoted herself to raising her daughter. The family moved from Cincinnati to New Jersey. In a letter written to her sister-in-law Antoinette Blackwell on February 20, 1859, Stone wrote, ...for these years I can only be a mother- no trivial thing, either. The next year, Stone refused to pay property taxes on her home. She and Henry carefully kept her property in her name, giving her independent income during their marriage. In her statement to the authorities, Lucy Stone protested the taxation without representation that women still endured, since women had no vote. The authorities seized some furniture to pay the debt, but the gesture was widely publicized as symbolic on behalf of womens rights. Split in the Suffrage Movement Inactive in the suffrage movement during the Civil War, Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell became active again when the war ended and the  Fourteenth Amendment  was proposed, giving the vote to black men. For the first time, the Constitution would, with this Amendment, mention male citizens explicitly. Most woman suffrage activists were outraged. Many saw the possible passage of this Amendment as setting back the cause of woman suffrage. In 1867, Stone again went on a full lecture tour to Kansas and New York, working for woman suffrage state amendments, trying to work for both black and woman suffrage. The woman suffrage movement split on this and other strategic grounds. The  National Woman Suffrage Association, led by  Susan B. Anthony  and  Elizabeth Cady Stanton decided to oppose the  Fourteenth Amendment because of the language male citizen. Lucy Stone,  Julia Ward Howe, and Henry Blackwell led those who sought to keep the causes of black and woman suffrage together, and in 1869 they and others founded the  American Woman Suffrage Association. For all her radical reputation, Lucy Stone was identified in this later period with the conservative wing of the woman suffrage movement. Other differences in strategy between the two wings included the AWSAs following a strategy of state-by-state suffrage amendments and the NWSAs support of a national constitutional amendment. The AWSA remained largely  middle  class,  while the NWSA embraced working-class issues and members. The Womens Journal The next year, Lucy raised enough funds to start a suffrage weekly newspaper,  The Womans Journal. For the first two years, it was edited by  Mary Livermore, and then Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell became the editors. Lucy Stone found working on a newspaper far more compatible with family life than the lecture circuit. But I do believe that a womans truest place is in a home, with a husband and with children, and with large freedom, pecuniary freedom, personal freedom, and the right to vote. Lucy Stone to her adult daughter, Alice Stone Blackwell Alice Stone Blackwell attended Boston University, where she was one of two women in a class with 26 men. She later got involved with  The Womans Journal,  which survived until 1917. Alice was the sole editor during its later years. The Womans Journal  under Stone and Blackwell maintained a Republican Party line, opposing, for instance, labor movement organizing and strikes and  Victoria Woodhulls  radicalism, in contrast to the Anthony-Stanton NWSA. Last Years Lucy Stones radical move to keep her own name continued to inspire and enrage. In 1879, Massachusetts gave women a limited right to vote for the school committee. In Boston, however, the registrars refused to let Lucy Stone vote unless she used her husbands name. She continued to find that, on legal documents and when registering with her husband at hotels, she had to sign as Lucy Stone, married to Henry Blackwell, for her signature to be accepted as valid. Lucy Stone did, in the 1880s, welcome Edward Bellamys American version of Utopian socialism, as did many other woman suffrage activists. Bellamys vision in the book  Looking Backward  drew a vivid picture of a society with economic and social equality for women. In 1890, Alice Stone Blackwell, now a leader in the woman suffrage movement in her own right, engineered a reunification of the two competing suffrage organizations. The National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association united to form the  National American Woman Suffrage Association, with  Elizabeth Cady Stanton  as president,  Susan B. Anthony  as vice president, and Lucy Stone as chairman of the executive committee. In an 1887 speech to the New England Womans Club, Stone said: I think, with never-ending gratitude, that the young women of today do not and can never know at what price their right to free speech and to speak at all in public has been earned.   Death Stones voice had already faded and she rarely spoke to large groups later in her life. But in 1893, she gave  lectures at the Worlds Columbian Exposition. A few months later, she died in Boston of cancer and was cremated. Her last words to her daughter were Make the world better. Legacy Lucy Stone is less well known today than  Elizabeth Cady Stanton,  Susan B. Anthony, or  Julia Ward Howe, whose Battle Hymn of the Republic helped immortalize her name. Stones daughter Alice Stone Blackwell published her mothers biography,  Lucy Stone, Pioneer of Womans Rights,  in 1930, helping to keep her name and contributions known. But Lucy Stone is still remembered today primarily as the first woman to keep her own name after marriage. Women who follow that custom are sometimes called Lucy Stoners. Sources Adler, Stephen J. and Lisa Grunwald. Womens Letters: America from the Revolutionary War to the Present. New York: Random House, 2005.â€Å"Lucy Stone.† National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.â€Å"Lucy Stone.† National Womens History Museum.McMillen, Sally G. Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life. Oxford University Press, 2015.Wheeler, Leslie. Lucy Stone: Radical Beginnings. Spender, Dale (ed.). Feminist Theorists: Three Centuries of Key Women Thinkers. New York: Pantheon Books, 1983

Internal Controls Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internal Controls - Assignment Example The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was passed generally for the purpose of restoring investor trust and confidence. The demand of the government, investors and the American public sought a standard and guarantee on the accuracy of financial reports. So, Section 404 of the mentioned law was strictly devoted in requiring management to assess and report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting or ICFR. Bergen (2005) reported that â€Å"the concerns through making executive more responsible for company accounting statements, redefining the relationships between corporations and their auditors, and restructuring the internal audit systems of public corporations.† Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has also been experiencing issues regarding its implementation. The legislation of the law â€Å"has been subject to furious debate amongst corporations, auditors, regulators and others.† The internal control policy has cause extremely high costs especia lly for smaller companies and early results left the benefits unclear. A number of academic and professional researches have grown to support the lack of transparency in accounting and corporate governance is growing larger. The researches show the significant cost attached to the internal controls. One â€Å"concludes that corporations with Internal Control Deficiencies (ICDs) as defined by section 404 – companies which are naturally more susceptible to accounting irregularities – pay the price through higher cost of capital and lower stock price returns.† Ockree and Martin (2009) investigated on the internal and external impacts of the financial reporting requirements in internal control. Stock price was one of the external reactions their study had put focused on. In their study, stock prices were tracked for the three years following the announcement. They compared the data to a broader market measure of comparable companies. The results were surprising thou gh a bit expected; the average return for the study group during that period was only 1.68%, while the broader market had a 17.28% return. There was a higher rick in that period of relative growth. Ockree and Martin also studied the insiders who traded stock during 2007 to be able to measure the risk in that particular sector. Two years after the announcement, it was found that there were three times inside buyers than seller compared to the broader market. Further, the size of the insider’s sales was over eight times larger compared to the buys. With the effect of internal controls to the company’s stock price, we can say internal controls do have inherent limitations and the risk can’t easily be foreseen or eliminated. On the other hand, there is a risk of weakening internal controls if we modify the existing system. Internal controls can result to various limitations to the organization functionality and economy. Its limits can affect the effectiveness of int ernal controls and may result to system omission human factors, resource constraints, or lack of system flexibility. For example, internal control processes in an organization may not reflect changed operating conditions, specific agency activities or potential new risks. It can cause collusion of staff members to be able to achieve their own personal gains. And in