The culture of management versus medicine

Are doctors, good managers? Are they even trained at all to be managers? These are poignant questions that have always arisen from the dichotomy that seems to exist between the arts of medicine for which a doctor is trained and the acts of management to which he is constantly exposed to within the hospital walls. Until a doctor actually seat down to ask the question sincerely, scrutinize his answer properly and task appropriate steps at merging the two indispensable qualities, he would constantly be faced with challenges that can be more Herculean than arriving at differential diagnoses. These two concepts are indispensable in the life of a doctor, and that of any other health professional. They can actually be merged. More than that, really, they must be merged for full and productive society. A medical officer trained in the art of medicine must develop the skills of human relationships: these skills would help him manage the enormous resources that are his disposal for sustaining a functional health care centre. These resources are human resources: the colleagues at work, other members of the medical team which he works such as nurses, physiotherapists, laboratory technologists etc, and even the patients that he attends to. A great deal of effort has to be put in organizing this group of people; it is in doing this that productivity is ascertained, excellence fostered and results become increasing forthcoming. Other health care providers need be aware of this important knowledge. Government officials who are involved in funding the health sector also need to be carried along in this train of Medicine and Management train for holistic and productive funding. It is therefore not far from the truth that the culture of medicine and management need prompt reconciliation. The need for reconciliation is more overwhelming and irresistible as facts abound for its emergency. The differences need to be reconciled as soon as possible. The reconciliation is possible. More than possible, it could be said that it is existing, only that it is silent. The clamor then would be for a formal and gradual or sudden erosion of the apparent dichotomy. This can be achieved through a foundational work. No strong change can be made to a structure without an overhauling of its foundation. The medical school for the health practitioners and the other institutions of higher learning are the major places where this can be achieved. For medical personnel, education among managerial skills in their medical training can be of tremendous impact in achieving this indispensable reconciliation. For managers interested in medicine, an introductory course on medical education would also help. If it is part of curriculum, it gradually becomes a way of life that would span ages. Apart of this consistent courses and seminars would also be of help for all health workers. These would insidiously push this point home. Really, if this is done, there would enhanced health care delivery as more managers of all forms of resources would be produced. With these, and the general Public benefit a lot. SOURCES Harvard Medical School [Medicine and Management] www.kff.org [Kaiser family foundation]

Advocacy Role paper

Advanced practice nurse's are reimbursed at a lower rate for the same services than physicians by Medicare, Medicaid and other private insurance companies. American medical association sets our scope of practice and regulations and legislation is often influenced by these recommendations. Advanced practice nurses should be consider as equal members of the healthcare provider community and receive equal reimbursement. To make these changes one must develop a plan and advocate for the profession.Advanced practice nurses are reimbursed at a lower rate, for the same services, than physicians. Medicare reimburses nurse practitioners at 85%, certified nurse midwives at 65 %, and physician assistants at 85% or less of the physician fee. The exception to the reimbursement rate is called the â€Å"incident to†. Medicare will reimburse at 100% if billed under a physician provider number. Medicaid pays 75-100% of the physician fee with the exception of some rural areas. Private insurance companies reimbursement to advanced practice nurses policies vary state to state.In an attempt to find ways to decrease cost, private insurance companies are beginning to follow Medicare's reimbursement policies. For advanced practice nurses the reimbursement policies vary according to state, company, and licensure, and are not equitable to physician reimbursement. This issue is being buried by the American Medical Association. The Affordable care Act addressed the reimbursement of physicians but APN were not mentioned. 1997 budget act is the last legislation passed that addressed reimbursement for advanced practice nurses.This act decided that advanced practice nurses are entitled to reimbursement. The legislators in Tennessee at that time voted for or against the act. This issue has not been addressed since then which could say that this is not a priority for the state. It could be the increae cost related to increased reombursement that keeps them from pushing the issue. The aff ordable Care Act addressed Medicare reimbursement but did not adress APN's specifically. The govener of Tennessee opted out of taking the money for the state. The federal govt. as to except the cost and reimburse at 100% this could have impacted advanced practice nurses in a positive way. As it stands This issue needs to be addressed with more impact especially after the affordable care and patient protection act. Nurse practitioners will be a solution of the problem and will want to be reimbursed according to care not license. Reimbursement of care provided by advanced practice nurses should equal physicians because they are providing the same service with equal or better outcomes.In a study done by Laurent, Herman, Reeves, Braspenning, ; Spinbald, â€Å"The findings suggest that appropriately trained nurses can produce as high quality care as primary care doctors and achieve as good health outcomes for patients. † Naylor and Kurtzman found that Nurse Practitioners â€Å"ou t performed physicians in easures of consultation time, patient follow-up and patient satisfaction. â€Å"(Naylor ; Kurtzman, 2010). A 2002 report to Congress by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, however, was unable to tind reliable data to discern clear ditterences in the two groups' outcomes and expenses.

Business ethics

Business ethics Essay Current Trends and Implications: Achieving Organizational Goals Using A Systems Approach ( Information Technology as a part of Your Competitive Strategy) Introduction to Seminar Welcome ladies and gentlemen, there are many of you here today from great distances and backgrounds of all sorts. I would like to start off first by thanking you for your time. New technologies everyday are radically changing existing industrys and creating new ones. This seminar focuses on these changes and understanding how they can help you achieve success or failure in the marketplace. Soon you will learn that your time here will give you great insight into current emerging and leading edge information and trends in using IS and IT as your competive strategy and advantage in growing your business. Beyond that your employees and other attendees will be addressed with the challenges and issuses of the many different aspects of how these systems can help you implement strategys to make your existing systems more efficient. There are pros and cons with these technologys and systems, as is expected and everything here is not for everyone. What you can expect is that you will find something there for you and your firm to further explore and possibly implement into operations. The seminar is set up for everyone, there is insight and much more to gain from the knowledge that we have amassed for you. Following will be how our seminar will run, summarizing and giving you a preview with how we implement the information to you and your clients. The Seminar will take place Friday and Saturday. It will be structured with breaks, your clients can choose which sections to attend, although we encourage the whole seminar, we know you and your clients may be issue specific. We highly recommend the seminar section on VoIP and RFID technology. Friday: 10:00 a.m. Meet and greet brunch, seminar attendees will be treated to a five star brunch to start the day off on a good foot. Here your clients can meet and mingle with business minds from all over the world. The experience and networking alone is wonderful. 11:00 Seminar will begin, attendees will receive seminar materials, phamplets and packets, to go along with the seminar. Also will be included is workbooks that provide material for the seminar and for practice and referecnce later. Go over schedule for the next two days. For the next three hours we will introduce the concept of the competitive advantage that is sought out by these IT and IS technologies. We will talk about VoIP, voice over Internet Protocol, how it can help streamline your business, make your intranets and networks more efficient and less costly. Show you how it can help with expansion and how it can be tailored to fit your specific needs. We will discuss the costs and implementation of different systems, showing you the competitive advantages. These are all accompanied with real world examples as you will soon see. Following that discussion well delve into the emerging world of RFID technology and the mandates that ensue them. With WalMart and the DoD have mandates for implementing use, RFID technology is emerging all over. There are two sides to the story, either way its coming and we are going to give you insight into this technology and tell you how it works, what it can do for you, and how. We will discuss the costs, trends, and opinions . Question #2 REFERENCE ARTICLES 1VoIP links global company: call center operations at seven locations are streamlined, while costs are lowered. (Voice Networks)(Alpha Thought) Communications News, Jan, 2004 http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0CMN/1_41/112448830/p1/article.jhtml http://www. computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,95179,00.html 3Privacy in public http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m3190/33_37/108268107/p1/article.jhtml 4Businesses Worry About Long-Term Data Losses Will we access our saved data in 20 years? Sept, 1999 http://www. computerworld.com/printthis/1999/0,4814,37036,00.html 5The Coming Robot Revolution http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,94386,00.html 6 Riding Radio Waves eWEEK, May, 2004 by Larry Dignan http://www. findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdewk/is_200405/ai_ziff126287/print 7RFID Adventure http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,96012,00.html 8 The Coming Battle of the Titans http://www.computerworld. com/printthis/2004/0,4814,96318,00.html 9 Apparel Maker Gets Instant Feedback With Online Survey To http://computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,95814,00.html 10 Documentum Saves Big With Web Conference Software for Training http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,95820,00. html 11Personalize Your Job http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,95943,00.html 12Phishy e-mails and Web sites: Whats your responsibility? http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,95461,00. html Companies Fight Back Against Phishing Scams http://computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,96549,00.html 13Blades, Camera, Action! http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,96284,00.html 14Predictions For BIs Future http://www. computerworld.com/printthis/2004/0,4814,93940,00.html 15Never, ever agree to evergreen clauses http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2000/0,4814,41674,00.html Acts of God .

Business Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Business Report - Essay Example The paper begins with an introduction of technological trends adopted by various renowned supermarket brands. Self-service checkouts have been selected as the centre of discussion. Next, a number of influences of self-service checkouts on labor need and customer satisfaction gives an insight of the importance of this system. In addition, a mixed difference opinion by several customers relating to the usage of self-service system has been given. The research paper concludes with presenting a few implications that retail businesses can imply to enhance their operations and build the customer loyalty that represents the success of their business. These systems are not adopted by businesses to reduce the costs but to enhance their customer relationships by providing easy shopping experience. Introduction To be waiting in the checkout line is one frustrating fact of shopping; however, people are now adopting offline shopping with the induction of self-service checkouts, which allow them t o evaluate their products and scan for billing. Technology has played a vital role in enhancing purchase and sales. The process has been improved further with regard to fulfilling purchase orders before time and making quicker sales in fewer periods. The food retail market is also benefiting with this technology to make the service easier for its customers who avoid spending time on long checkout queues. According to a survey conducted by Supermarket News reports, food retail sector has adopted latest technology to enhance its customer preferences by a greater margin than any other industry in this world. Consumers believe that this industry most implements technology for better customer experiences and introduces new ways and techniques to enhance their services quickly. The largest supermarkets of USA such as Wal-mart and Target have been working extensively to improve the customer experience of their supermarkets and they have successfully introduced technology as a part of their establishment to this day. Wal-mart is one renowned retail brand that adopted self-service checkouts for their stores. Customers begin to deal with the checkout process more efficiently by doing the job themselves. The response on this adoption of technology was positive and many customers were relieved of wasting time at long checkouts. According to NCR, Kmart introduced self-service checkouts with the installation of about five thousand systems at its thirteen hundred stores in year 2011. These systems managed to make sales for Kmart up to 22 percent per year, which achieved a close target for their sales (Bird, 2012, pg. 1-3). Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert proposes that supermarkets must cater to their consumer’s preferences since grocery shopping is not what they like to do the most. Particularly, 53% of consumers have been reported to avoid grocery shopping while 14% dislike grocery shopping due to the processes at retails. Knowing the preferences of customers is the ke y to introduce technology that can help bolster the retail systems. Trends that need to be adopted by retails must focus on this perspective and bring innovations to improve the way customer shops. A customer needs to have full information of what he is going to buy therefore trends must be adopted in briefing

Financial Management and Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Financial Management and Analysis - Assignment Example Their urgency to get the capital required – the more time a company spends while trying to come up with the capital required, the lesser the cost incurred by the company. It would however, have to incur a higher cost if it needed the money very quickly. In the case, the owners of Biz Systems Consultants Ltd need to embrace the likelihood of incurring a higher cost to get the funds needed The least expensive option – the company should determine the cost of finance in regards to the amount of money it will need to part with in order to secure the amount requested. The company has to decrease the typical cost (interest) by looking for a source of money that offers the least interest rate on the borrowed amount. The level of risk involved in the investment project – in the case of mutually exclusive projects, the company has to evaluate the projects to determine the project with the best chance of leading to a profit. The owners of Biz Systems Consultants Ltd need to realize that their potential sources of finance will require some sort of guarantee that their return on investment. How long the company needs the capital - a serious company should identify whether the capital required is for a long or short-term project. Biz Systems Consultants Ltd has a project that is both long and short term and therefore the project management team needs to decide the sources of finance that will be most appropriate for their project. (Crundwell,2008). There are three popular decision making techniques: The first one is the Net Present Value, the second one is the internal rate of return and lastly, the payback Period technique. There however are, variations of these three most popular bring rise to the existence many lesser-used techniques. A company like Biz Systems Consultants Ltd has several projects and should measure each ones potential in relation to these three principles in order to make a comparison and choose the best

The importance of human resource factore in labout process Essay

The importance of human resource factore in labout process - Essay Example Untrained individuals can only be considered just as "units of population" whereas trained and skilled individuals could justifiably be called as human resource. While the former is an asset to an organization, the latter invariably constitute the source of innumerable problems. Now the onus rests on the HR managers not only to select the right kind of candidates for various job openings but also to see that already working candidates also are continuously upgraded in their skills so that their contribution to the organizational growth is a continuous affair and not one which rests on chances. While there could be very many factors which influence different kinds of employees, still we could always lay our hands on a few principles which have at least widespread, if not universal, application potential. In this analysis we try to identify such valuable HRM principles which have proven their worth in many organizations under many conditions. Such an exercise would sharpen our insight into many valuable HR practices and equip us with the kind of expertise which would help us handle our manpower in the most efficient way so that the mutual benefit of both the employers and the employees are optimized. Considerable studies and research over the past few decades in the arena of HRM has enriched the subject itself with a variety of powerful principles culled from the past experience of various organizations in different world zones. Of the various HRM theories such as, Staffing Selectivity, Influence of Training on Firm Performance, Information Sharing, General Systems Theory, Role Behaviour Theory, Institutional Theory, Resource Dependence Theory, Human Capital Theory, Transformation Cost Economics, Agency Theory, The Resource Based Theory of the Firm, Compensation and Performance Management Systems, Job Security, Employee Participation Systems, Internal Labour Market Theory and Team-based Production Systems, let us take up for analysis and study some of them which are more relevant and/or powerful in delivering results in the present market scenario. a) Staffing Selectivity aspect : The success of every organization is measured by the quantum of business it is able to create and the amount of profit that comes out of it. To accomplish this every employee has to contribute his or her mite in no small way. Any weaker link in the corporate chain can easily undermine the strength of the entire organization and the downfall could be fatal. So it is imperative that Staffing Selectivity plays a crucial role in the success or failure of any organization. Hiring, firing and promotion should all be crucially selective. The right kind of employees should only be selected for every job

Cross Cultural Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cross Cultural Management - Assignment Example The human resource manager’s busy schedule meant that the interview session had to be re-scheduled several times. It was on the fourth schedule that the manager was available but only for one and half hours. Through this face-to - face contact with human resource manager, it was evident that expatriates in this country face several challenges. It came out clear that expatriates have multiple challenges in respect to the country. These challenges relate to a change in the physical environment, culture adaptation to new attitudes and traditions. Other factors include changes in the legal aspects, organizational norms, policies and procedures in accomplishing tasks (Blackbum, 2012). Other factors that the expatriate brings out to the reader include politics, entertainment, and social influences. The coffee shop where the interaction took place is a wonderful place. On the walls, different traditional photos communicate to the customer almost popular artifacts of the people. It was an anticipation that a busy individual like this manager would rush through the interview. At times, one would not been able to capture important aspects in the notepad. This meant that the interview had to be on record an issue the manager considered okay. This manger has been working for a non-governmental organization in the capacity of Human resource manager for the last one year. This position came as a vacancy in its head office. The expatriate is married and had to relocate with his family. In terms of age, the individual is almost in his early thirties with a Masters degree in human resource management. The organization assists in relief work and other activities around the globe, and this is his second country of assignment. The interview yield information on the economy of expatriates on foreign missions, their personal experiences, and the issue of raising a family in these foreign countries. The interview provides information on work outcomes of

W7 OM Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

W7 OM Discussion - Essay Example Lambert and Cooper (2000) identified several major components of SCM, including planning and control, work structure, organizational structure, management methods, product flow facility structure, and power and leadership structure. By implication, for effective SCM to be said to have taken place, supply chain managers must be in a position to adequately put management processes in all of these components together. It is for this reason that SCM has been considered to be a shared responsibility, involving the coordinated efforts of several departments and workforce within the organization (Meredith and Shafer, 2014). Once SCM is used, there are a number of benefits that the organization practicing can get. According to Mentzer, J.T. et al. (2001), SCM helps in ensuring efficiency by ensuring that supply chain managers are able to respond quickly to all issues and changes that take place within the supply chain. This way, chances of delays are well catered for. SCM has also been noted to have the advantage of ensuring information transparency due to its open ended approach and the fact that it functions on the shared responsibility

Irish Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Irish Law - Case Study Example 3. Did the District Court err in not awarding compensation to the appellant for the injuries suffered by him that turned him in to a paraplegic STATEMENT OF THE FACTS James Naughton lost a significant amount of money at the racetrack seeking solace he went to powers pub were he consumed pints of larger and five double vodkas and redbull. The pub landlord knew him and offered him a lift home he refused (no attempt was made to dissuade him) he then walked the mile to were his car was located. He then drove off in search of more beer he was spotted driving erratically by several pedestrians and he then went to superMacs were he consumed a mighty mac meal. He then drove of to nellanys pub and parked his car directly in front of the premises he was served one beer but was refused anymore frustrated he drove 15 miles were he knew there was more liquor he was driving a short distance were he crashed into a wall his spinal cord was severed and he was rendered a paraplegic as a result of the crash He filed a court action alleging both pubs owed him a duty of care because he was allowed to drive when drunk and was served alcohol when drunk. The second pub Nellanys agreed to a confidential settlement, which cannot be stipulated for legal reasons. The actions against the first pub powers was dismissed on grounds that no legal authority would extend such a duty on publicans. ARGUMENT 1. Negligence has two meanings in law of torts i.e. Negligence as a mode of committing certain torts, e.g., negligently or carelessly committing trespass, nuisance or defamation. In this context it denotes the mental element, and Negligence is also considered as a separate tort. It means a conduct... He filed a court action alleging both pubs owed him a duty of care because he was allowed to drive when drunk and was served alcohol when drunk. The second pub Nellanys agreed to a confidential settlement, which cannot be stipulated for legal reasons. The actions against the first pub powers was dismissed on grounds that no legal authority would extend such a duty on publicans. 1. Negligence has two meanings in law of torts i.e. Negligence as a mode of committing certain torts, e.g., negligently or carelessly committing trespass, nuisance or defamation. In this context it denotes the mental element, and Negligence is also considered as a separate tort. It means a conduct which creates a risk of causing damage, rather than a state of mind. The House of Lords in 'Donoghue v. Stevenson'(1932) A.C. 562 treats negligence, where there is a duty to take care, as specific tort in itself, and not simply as an element is some more complex relationship or in some specialized breach of duty 'Grant v. Australian Knitting Mills(1936)A.C.85'. According to 'Heaven v. Pender' (1883) 11 Q.B.D.

Writer's choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 9

Writer's choice - Essay Example Additionally, sometimes acts as a little mirror. According to Land, Michael and Dan-Eric, the iris serves as a reflector for the animals because light falls on the eye and it is reflected spontaneously (45). In this regard, some animals reflect green light. The reddish appearance of the eyes among people is called red-eye effect. Such effect is associated with the capturing of light, which is reflected from retina. The problem is resolvable through various ways. Light rays usually permeate through the corns of n eye in order to focus clearly on the retina. This causes the light-detecting cells, which are at the back of the eye to responds according. Consequently, the eye retina converts the light rays into electronic pulses, which are able to align with the theoptic nerve. This enhances the creation of visuals images. According to Russell, the process of reddening of the eyes is subject to the constriction of the eyes (78). The constriction of the eyes is subject to time and the flas h of light overwhelms the retina. The speed of light reflection is high and causes the impact of the red eye-effect. Moreover, the eyes appear red after a flash of light because of the high supply of choroid in blood. Choroid is layer of connective tissues, which occur at the back of the eye (Rakoczy 65). The purpose of the layer is to nourish the retina. The other purpose of the choroid layer is to maintain the red color of the normal eye. It is possible to prevent the red-eye effect. People should not look at a camera with their naked eyes. There is needed to make the room of snapping brighter than normal. The setting of the camera must be adjusted. For instance, the anti-red eye effect function must be adjusted. Technology has played a major role in enhancing the reduction of the red-eye effect. Modern cameras are sophisticated because they have adequate customizations. For instance, the modern cameras have

Cloud Computing Essay Example for Free

Cloud Computing Essay * Integrated development environment as a service (IDEaaS) In the business model using software as a service, users are provided access to application software and databases. The cloud providers manage the infrastructure and platforms on which the applications run. SaaS is sometimes referred to as â€Å"on-demand software† and is usually priced on a pay-per-use basis. SaaS providers generally price applications using a subscription fee. Proponents claim that the SaaS allows a business the potential to reduce IT operational costs by outsourcing hardware and software maintenance and support to the cloud provider. This enables the business to reallocate IT operations costs away from hardware/software spending and personnel expenses, towards meeting other IT goals. In addition, with applications hosted centrally, updates can be released without the need for users to install new software. One drawback of SaaS is that the users data are stored on the cloud provider’s server. As a result, there could be unauthorized access to the data. End users access cloud-based applications through a web browser or a light-weight desktop or mobile app while the business software and users data are stored on servers at a remote location. Proponents claim that cloud computing allows enterprises to get their applications up and running faster, with improved manageability and less maintenance, and enables IT to more rapidly adjust resources to meet fluctuating and unpredictable business demand.[2][3] Cloud computing relies on sharing of resources to achieve coherence and economies of scale similar to a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network.[4] | This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. (January 2013)| The origin of the term cloud computing is obscure, but it appears to derive from the practice of using drawings of stylized clouds to denote networks in diagrams of computing and communications systems. The word cloud is used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on the standardized use of a cloud-like shape to denote a network on telephony schematics and later to depict the Internet in computer network diagrams as an abstraction of the underlying infrastructure it represents. The cloud symbol was used to represent the Internet as early as 1994.[5][6] The underlying concept of cloud computing dates back to the 1950s, when large-scale mainframe became available in academia and corporations, accessible via thin clients / terminalcomputers. Because it was costly to buy a mainframe, it became im portant to find ways to get the greatest return on the investment in them, allowing multiple users to share both the physical access to the computer from multiple terminals as well as to share the CPU time, eliminating periods of inactivity, which became known in the industry as time-sharing.[7] In the 1990s, telecommunications companies, who previously offered primarily dedicated point-to-point data circuits, began offering virtual private network (VPN) services with comparable quality of service but at a much lower cost. By switching traffic to balance utilization as they saw fit, they were able to utilize their overall network bandwidth more effectively. The cloud symbol was used to denote the demarcation point between that which was the responsibility of the provider and that which was the responsibility of the users. Cloud computing extends this boundary to cover servers as well as the network infrastructure.[8] As computers became more prevalent, scientists and technologists explored ways to make large-scale computing power available to more users through time sharing, experimenting with algorithms to provide the optimal use of the infrastructure, platform and applications with prioritized access to the CPU and efficiency for the end users.[9] John McCarthy opined in t he 1960s that computation may someday be organized as a public utility. Almost all the modern-day characteristics of cloud computing (elastic provision, provided as a utility, online, illusion of infinite supply), the comparison to the electricity industry and the use of public, private, government, and community forms, were thoroughly explored in Douglas Parkhills 1966 book, The Challenge of the Computer Utility. Other scholars have shown that cloud computings roots go all the way back to the 1950s when scientist Herb Grosch (the author of Groschs law) postulated that the entire world would operate on dumb terminals powered by about 15 large data centers.[10] Due to the expense of these powerful computers, many corporations and other entities could avail themselves of computing capability through time sharing and several organizations, such as GEs GEISCO, IBM subsidiary The Service Bureau Corporation (SBC, founded in 1957), Tymshare (founded in 1966), National CSS (founded in 1967 and bought by Dun Bradstreet in 1979), Dial Data (bought by Tymshare in 1968), and Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) marketed time sharing as a commercial venture. The development of the Internet from being document centric via semantic data towards more and more services was described as Dynamic Web.[11] This contribution focused in particular in the need for better meta-data able to describe not only implementation details but also conceptual details of model-based applications. The ubiquitous availability of high-capacity networks, low-cost computers and storage devices as well as the widespread adoption of hardware virtualization, service-oriented architecture,autonomic, and utility computing have led to a tremendous growth in cloud computing.[12][13][14] After the dot-com bubble, Amazon played a key role in the development of cloud computing by modernizing their data centers, which, like most computer networks, were using as little as 10% of their capacity at any one time, just to leave room for occasional spikes. Having found that the new cloud architecture resulted in significant internal efficiency improvements whereby small, fast-moving two-pizza teams (teams small enough to be fed with two pizzas) could add new features faster and more easily, Amazon initiated a new product development effort to provide cloud computing to external customers, and launched Amazon Web Service (AWS) on a utility computing basis in 2006.[15][16] In early 2008, Eucalyptus became the first open-source, AWS API-compatible platform for deploying private clouds. In early 2008, OpenNebula, enhanced in the RESERVOIR European Commission-funded project, became the first open-source software for deploying private and hybrid clouds, and for the federation of clouds.[17] In the same year, efforts were focused on providing quality of service guarantees (as required by real-time interactive applications) to cloud-based infrastructures, in the framework of the IRMOS European Commission-funded project, resulting to a real-time cloud environment.[18] By mid-2008, Gartner saw an opportunity for cloud computing to shape the relationship among consumers of IT services, those who use IT services and those who sell them[19] and observed that organizations are switching from company-owned hardware and software assets to per-use service-based models so that the projected shift to computing will result in dramatic growth in IT products in some areas and significant reductions in other areas.[20] On March 1, 2011, IBM announced the Smarter Computing framework to support Smarter Planet.[21] Among the various components of the Smarter Computing foundation, cloud computing is a critical piece. [edit] Similar systems and concepts Cloud computing shares characteristics with: * Autonomic computing — Computer systems capable of self-management.[22] * Client–server model — Client–server computing refers broadly to any distributed application that distinguishes between service providers (servers) and service requesters (clients).[23] * Grid computing — A form of distributed and parallel computing, whereby a super and virtual computer is composed of a cluster of networked, loosely coupled computers acting in concert to perform very large tasks. * Mainframe computer — Powerful computers used mainly by large organizations for critical applications, typically bulk data processing such as census, industry and consumer statistics, police and secret intelligence services, enterprise resource planning, and financial transaction processing.[24] * Utility computing — The packaging of computing resources, such as computation and storage, as a metered service similar to a traditional public utility, such as electricity.[25][26] * Peer-to-peer — Distributed architecture without the need for central coordination, with participants being at the same time both suppliers and consumers of resources (in contrast to the traditional client–server model). * Cloud gaming Also known as on-demand gaming, this is a way of delivering games to computers. The gaming data will be stored in the providers server, so that gaming will be independent of client computers used to play the game. [edit] Characteristics Cloud computing exhibits the following key characteristics: * Agility improves with users ability to re-provision technological infrastructure resources. * Application programming interface (API) accessibility to software that enables machines to interact with cloud software in the same way the user interface facilitates interaction between humans and computers. Cloud computing systems typically use REST-based APIs. * Cost is claimed to be reduced and in a public cloud delivery model capital expenditure is converted to operational expenditure.[27] This is purported to lower barriers to entry, as infrastructure is typically provided by a third-party and does not need to be purchased for one-time or infrequent intensive computing tasks. Pricing on a utility computing basis is fine-grained with usage-based options and fewer IT skills are required for implementation (in-house).[28] The e-FISCAL projects state of the art repository[29] contains several articles looking into cost aspects in more detail, most of them concluding that costs savings de pend on the type of activities supported and the type of infrastructure available in-house. * Device and location independence[30] enable users to access systems using a web browser regardless of their location or what device they are using (e.g., PC, mobile phone). As infrastructure is off-site (typically provided by a third-party) and accessed via the Internet, users can connect from anywhere.[28] * Virtualization technology allows servers and storage devices to be shared and utilization be increased. Applications can be easily migrated from one physical server to another. * Multitenancy enables sharing of resources and costs across a large pool of users thus allowing for: * Centralization of infrastructure in locations with lower costs (such as real estate, electricity, etc.) * Peak-load capacity increases (users need not engineer for highest possible load-levels) * Utilisation and efficiency improvements for systems that are often only 10–20% utilised.[15] * Reliability is improved if multiple redundant sites are used, which makes well-designed cloud computing su itable for business continuity and disaster recovery.[31] * Scalability and elasticity via dynamic (on-demand) provisioning of resources on a fine-grained, self-service basis near real-time,[32] without users having to engineer for peak loads.[33][34] * Performance is monitored, and consistent and loosely coupled architectures are constructed using web services as the system interface.[28] * Security could improve due to centralization of data, increased security-focused resources, etc., but concerns can persist about loss of control over certain sensitive data, and the lack of security for stored kernels.[35] Security is often as good as or better than other traditional systems, in part because providers are able to devote resources to solving security issues that many customers cannot afford.[36] However, the complexity of security is greatly increased when data is distributed over a wider area or greater number of devices and in multi-tenant systems that are being shared by unrelated users. In addition, user access to security audit logs may be difficult or impossible. Private cloud installations are in part motivated by users desire to retain control over the infrastructure and avoid losing control of information security. * Maintenance of cloud computing applications is easier, because they do not need to be installed on each users computer and can be accessed from different places. The National Institute of Standards and Technologys definition of cloud computing identifies five essential characteristics: On-demand self-service. A consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with each service provider. Broad network access. Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations). Resource pooling. The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to consumer demand. Rapid elasticity. Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, in some cases automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be appropriated in any quantity at any time. Measured service. Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service. —National Institute of Standards and Technology[4] On-demand self-service See also: Self-service provisioning for cloud computing services and Service catalogs for cloud computing services On-demand self-service allows users to obtain, configure and deploy cloud services themselves using cloud service catalogues, without requiring the assistance of IT.[37][38] This feature is listed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as a characteristic of cloud computing.[4] The self-service requirement of cloud computing prompts infrastructure vendors to create cloud computing templates, which are obtained from cloud service catalogues. Manufacturers of such templates or blueprints include Hewlett-Packard (HP), which names its templates as HP Cloud Maps[39] RightScale[40] and Red Hat, which names its templates CloudForms.[41] The templates contain predefined configurations used by consumers to set up cloud services. The templates or blueprints provide the technical information necessary to build ready-to-use clouds.[40] Each template includes specific configuration details for different cloud infrastructures, with information about servers for specific tasks such as hosting applications, databases, websites and so on.[40] The templates also include predefined Web service, the operating system, the database, security configurations and load balancing.[41] Cloud consumers use cloud templates to move applications between clouds through a self-service portal. The predefined blueprints define all that an application requires to run in different environments. For example, a template could define how the same application could be deployed in cloud platforms based on Amazon Web Service, VMware or Red Hat.[42] The user organization benefits from cloud templates because the technical aspects of cloud configurations reside in the templates, letting users to deploy cloud services with a push of a button.[43][44] Cloud templates can also be used by developers to create a catalog of cloud services.[45] [edit] Ser vice models Cloud computing providers offer their services according to three fundamental models:[4][46] infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS) where IaaS is the most basic and each higher model abstracts from the details of the lower models. In 2012 network as a service (NaaS) and communication as a service (CaaS) were officially included by ITU (International Telecommunication Union) as part of the basic cloud computing models, recognized service categories of a telecommunication-centric cloud ecosystem.[47] Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) See also: Category:Cloud infrastructure In the most basic cloud-service model, providers of IaaS offer computers physical or (more often) virtual machines and other resources. (A hypervisor, such as Xen or KVM, runs the virtual machines as guests.) Pools of hypervisors within the cloud operational support-system can support large numbers of virtual machines and the ability to scale services up and down according to customers varying requirements. IaaS clouds often offer additional resources such as images in a virtual-machine image-library, raw (block) and file-based storage, firewalls, load balancers, IP addresses, virtual local area networks (VLANs), and software bundles.[48] IaaS-cloud providers supply these resources on-demand from their large pools installed indata centers. For wide-area connectivity, customers can use either the Internet or carrier clouds (dedicated virtual private networks). To deploy their applications, cloud users install operating-system images and their application software on the cloud infrastructure. In this model, the cloud user patches and maintains the operating systems and the application software. Cloud providers typically bill IaaS services on a utility computing basis: cost reflects the amount of resources allocated and consumed. Examples of IaaS providers include Amazon CloudFormation, Amazon EC2, Windows Azure Virtual Machines, DynDNS, Google Compute Engine, HP Cloud, iland, Joyent,Rackspace Cloud, ReadySpace Cloud Services, and Terremark. [edit] Platform as a service (PaaS)

Water short essay Essay Example for Free

Water short essay Essay Water is one of the natures precious gifts to mankind. All living things consist mostly of water eg. the human body is of two thirds of water. It is clear, colourless liquid that appears blue when viewed through a thickness of 20 ft. The colour reflects not only from physical causes but also from suspended impurities. The freezing point of water is 0degree centigrade and its boiling point is 100 degree centigrade. Water is the most essential component of life and is vital for sustenance. The importance of water in our diet is apparent as it helps the body to perform specific metabolic tasks and regulates our body temperature, moreover water is unique as its density is similar to that of cell protoplasm. There is no doubt that water is everywhere and it is very important to our Earth and the life inhabiting it. Water contains no calories and is a significant factor in losing weight. It is the key component in determining the quality of our lives and is a universal solvent. We should teach children to turn off faucets tightly after use, adjust sprinklers to water your lawn. Plant in the fall when conditions are cooler and collect water used for rinsing fruits and vegetables to water house plants, wash your pets outdoors in an area of your lawn that needs water and repair leaking pipes, harvest rain water. People use up our planets fresh water faster than it can naturally be replenished so, save water for the Earth, family and community. Cultural views of water are based on predominent religious views, like the Ganges river in Hinduism. Water is known as the elixir of life. So Conserve water to save life.

Obstacles to Internationalization of Vietnamese SMEs

Obstacles to Internationalization of Vietnamese SMEs Major difficulties and obstacles to internationalization of Vietnamese SMEs Financing problems Lack of capital to expand production and business are considered as common phenomenon of SMEs. Despite of Vietnamese government’s effort to facilitate SMEs’ process of accessing capital and commercial banks have made great strides in the provision of credit to SMEs, surveyed about the difficulties, more than 60% of SMEs often have difficulty in financing, according to Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (VMPI, 2009). SMEs usually mobilized capital from relatives, friends or bank loans. Clearly, the poor access and low speed to access to capital is main disadvantage of SMEs compared to large corporations because it stymies the expansion, especially foreign expansion, of SMEs. The fact that only 30% of the capital is borrowed from banks and credit institutions. The main reasons are, most business have insufficient collateral for the institution to borrow money, financial management is not really transparent, and creditors sometimes acquire reputations as credit worthy because of moral hazard and adverse selection problems (TD). Sometimes, in hurry and needing capital, SMEs have to pay for non-financial creditors with interest rates 3 to 6 times higher than common official rates (VMPI, 2009). Difficulties in land and production premises Another difficulties that SMEs have to face is land and production premises. To some extend, it is also another financial problems for them. Over half of SMEs have major operations in the field of trade and most of them use their house as office, or lease small offices (VGSO, 2009). Otherwise, many manufacturing SMEs have to rent the land or premises with high cost. Even when they want to have long-term investment, there still is hesitation due to lack of legal guarantee (TD). Recently, many places have carried out many planning and construction of industrial clusters of SMEs aimed at bringing together the business production business. Some provinces such as Ha Noi, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Thai Binh, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh Cityhave built many industrial clusters for production and attracting foreign investment. However, due to rent land with inadequate financial capacity of businesses in small scale, so many SMEs st ill cannot access these zones. SME survey data in 30 northern provinces, showed that 42% of businesses having difficulty in land and production premises. Imperfect information Another disadvantage of SMEs’ entry is their information disadvantages about market such as labor market, materials market, and output market conditions. Besides, customers’ poor information about these new entrants also account for blockade new SMEs have to face in foreign expansion procedure. However, there is argument that steady entry might erode the information barriers because later entrants can learn from earlier entrants’ mistakes. The higher steady flow of new entrants, the less dependence of customers and even workers on established large corporations (TD) Corporate management is not high quality and low quality human resources Level of production and business management of SMEs which are almost private enterprises, is still limited and largely based on personal experiences of business owners, investment with little application of information technology into management. Skilled workers in SMEs are fewer compared to large corporations because of relatively lower and less stable salary. Especially, new market entrants also may find it difficult to attract good workers because employment and contracts with established large firms are seen as less risky. Low level of technology, weaknesses in RD Most SMEs have the backward technology, equipment. According to VMPI, results of survey for small and medium enterprises in 30 Northern provinces, in the nearly 11 thousand industrial enterprises surveyed, there are only 8% of businesses having advanced technology. Surprisingly, there are 50% of businesses said they could reach the average level of technology, and the remaining 42% of enterprises chose the answer of backward technology (VMPI, 2009). Moreover, skilled workers in SMEs are few, so the quality of products, goods and services is not high, thus they have weak competitiveness and difficult to dominate domestic and international market. The level of investment in technological renovation of enterprises is still low compared with development requirements. Most SMEs are lack of motivation on the research for technological innovation. Content of technology and knowledge in goods of Vietnam SMEs are low. In fact, the product is made mainly based on capital and unskilled labors. Only some small firms are innovators. Many smaller firms undertake no innovative activity. Some may be serving local niche markets relying on owner’s control. Still other small firms might be unsuccessful innovators (TD) Awareness and observance of the law is limited A number of SMEs have not followed strictly the provisions of law, especially provisions on taxation, financial management, labors management, quality of goods and intellectual property. The situation of complaint about the laws compliance of enterprises has been popular even in the period of deeper economic integration with various international commitments. This could even lead to conviction because of tax and financial violations. Therefore, limited awareness of law brings greater barriers to foreign expansion because SMEs need to work with not only domestic but also foreign legal system. Survey report The difficulties and benefits to the internationalization of SMEs 1. Difficulties To find out solutions to promote internationalization, research has to point out the obstacles from the environment inside and outside the enterprises. For SMEs, the main difficulties are often referred to as inside and outside difficulties. Inside difficulties of Vietnamese SMEs Inside difficulties: Lack of capital, Lack of quality human resources, Out of date Technology, Difficulties in acquiring land and facilities for manufacturing and trade activities, Lack of knowledge and experiences in international business environment, and Limitation in management capability. 1: Lack of capital 2: Lack of quality human resources 3: Out of date Technology 4: Difficulties in acquiring land and facilities for manufacturing and trade activities 5: Lack of knowledge and experiences in international business environment 6: Limitation in management capability 7: Others Data from our survey shows that Lack of capital, Lack of quality human resources and Lack of knowledge and experiences in international business environment are main difficulties of SMEs. Especially, there are about 50% of SMEs considering the lack of capital is most important reason inside SMEs, which is the obstacle to the internationalization. Other reasons such as Out of date Technology, Difficulties in acquiring land and facilities for manufacturing and trade activities, Limitation in management capability are not higher but each of them also account for more than 10%. Outside difficulties of Vietnamese SMEs Outside difficulties: Highly risky and competitive environment, Unattractive profit, Disadvantages from the Vietnamese Policies, Too many barriers and restrictions to market penetration in many foreign countries. 1: Highly risky and competitive environment 2: Unattractive profit 3: Disadvantages from the Vietnamese Policies 4: Too many barriers and restrictions to market penetration in many foreign countries 5: Others In terms of outside reasons, almost SMEs (nearly 70%) consider highly risky and competitive environment is the main obstacle to internationalization. One of the special features are drawn from the survey is, in addition to concerns about the risks and fierce competition in the business environment, many SMEs consider the inadequacies of government policies in Vietnam and barriers and restrictions to market penetration in many foreign countries are the main obstacles to their internationalization: 2. Benefits The main benefits: Helping innovation technology, Business experience gaining, Improving the qualification for employees and leadership skills for the management, Spreading enterprise’s image, brand and prestige, Providing opportunities to attract and accumulate more capital. Benefits from internationalization: 1: Help with innovation of technology 2: Help with business experience again 3: Improve the qualification for employees and leadership skills for management 4: Help spread your enterprise imagine, brand and prestige 5: Provide opportunities to attract and accumulate more capital 6: Others In terms of positive effects, according to our survey, most SMEs think that five positive effects mentioned above are the main positive impact on their business. Other positive impacts account only 1.13%. Especial thing is, there are nearly 70% of SMEs believe internationalization will help them with business experience gaining. Actually, in a volatile business environment with many risks and challenges, this is a positive and optimistic signal of SMEs. Furthermore, many of them believe that internationalization helps to expand their business, brand and prestige. Moreover, as discussed in obstacles part, lack of capital is significant obstacle to internationalization, but in the chart above, we can see that they also think internationalization as a way to providing opportunities to attract and accumulate more capital (with more than 50% of SMEs believe internationalization as a way to providing opportunities to attract and accumulate more capital). Recommendations The result of this research lead to some recommendations for policy makers and SMEs managers For policy makers Create a favorable business legal environment which is equal, transparent, Continue to further economic reform and open the economy policy; Continue to simplify the regulations to create favorable conditions for business registration, market entry and operations of the firms: Enterprise Law, Land Law (Facilitate access to land and production premises for SMEs), Tax Law, Trade Law (Promote the international economic integration through bilateral, regional and multilateral channels), etc. Create favorable conditions for SME access to finance: Credit guarantee fund, SME financial fund, venture investment fund, get loan from commercial banks, etc. (Ministry of Finance, State Bank of Vietnam, Provinces and central run cities) Support SMEs to improve their competitiveness: technique innovation, intellectual property protection, training on enterprise management and for human resource, market information (Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Education and Training) For SMEs managers In internationalization process, SMEs need take initiative in preparing the necessary â€Å"baggage†, creating a basic capacity of international economic integration and ready to grasp better the opportunities and confront challenges from this process Map out a strategy to internationalize SMEs need to carefully research the market, study the strengths and weaknesses, research opportunities and challenges; clearly define the objectives, benefits and risks of internationalization; find out the main factors and conditions deciding the success of internationalization; choose the suitable methods of internationalization. Take opportunities to attract more capital and innovating technology In terms of technology, SMEs need to promote its inherent flexibility to capture and take advantage of the opportunity to catch new technology. Besides financial aid from the government, SMEs should actively seek opportunities from other resources such as financial support from the joint venture partnership; establish feasible business projects to attract capital from banks, venture capital funds; conduct joint venture with other firms as needed. Apply international standards in production and business One of the challenges or obstacles for Vietnamese SMEs when enter the world market are the technical barriers to trade. Countries have different requirements related to goods and services. When international economic integrating, Vietnam SMEs must also acquiesce by these requirements. Therefore, it is necessary to apply international standards in production and business activities actively, depending on the requirements of markets and depending on the ability of each enterprise. Emphasis on improving human resources quality SMEs should be more emphasis on improving human resources quality, focused training and recruitment of talented and knowledgeable managers about the international market, skilled workers who have ability to grasp new technology. SMEs also need stronger links with educational institution for training and retraining of human resources. Moreover, to organize production and marketing in foreign market, managers need to work with new legal system and social customs. Therefore, sending out expatriate managers and experts is also necessary because managers with inexperienced in internationalization may not have necessary knowledge to be efficient international operators.

European Animals Incite Ecological Changes in the New World Essay

European Animals Incite Ecological Changes in the New World When Columbus and the first landed in the Americas, he was confronted with a totally new world. This was not just new in the sense of people and land, but also in an ecological one as well. Columbus had stumbled across a land that, although already populated by people, was basically untouched. The people who lived in these new lands were completely in sync with nature. They valued the land for what it was worth and as such, they preserved it. Then came the waves of Europeans, and as we all know, things changed. Not only were the lives of the Amerindians drastically changed, but also the ecology of the Americas was completely and permanently altered. Although the Europeans helped in these changes to the ecosystem, their part was minor when compared to the true criminals: the European animals. It was the European animals that were introduced into the New World that had the most destructive effects on their new environment and forever altered the ecology of the Americas. Before taking a look into the effects the European animals had on the environment, we must first view the way things were prior to their introduction. During the time which pre-dated the arrival of the Europeans, the Americas were basically untouched. The land was populated with not just Indians, but also vast numbers of plants and animals. The land provided almost all of the needs of the Indians and in return, the Indians took care of the land. The Amerindians used animals sparingly in work. The domesticated animals which they had included: dogs, guinea pigs, and various types of fowl (Crosby, 74). They had no types of ridden animals and they chose to use themselves as beasts of burden. Thi... ...lear huge tracts of land. They were able to outcompete their American counterparts and the Amerindians by taking food from them and out-breeding them thus taking up more space. This caused not just destruction to the land, but also a decline and in some cases, extinction in the native plant and animal species. These animals not only had a destructive effect on their new environments, but also permanently altered the ecology of the Americas thus forever marking their spot in history. Works Cited Crosby, Alfred W. The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Company, 1972. Crosby, Alfred W. Ecological Imperialism: The Biological Expansion of Europe, 900-1900. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986. Roberts, Neil. The Holocene: An Environmental History. New York: Basil Blackwell, 1989.

Eating Disorders :: essays research papers

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fattest one of all? -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unknown Men and women of all ages, races and incomes get eating disorders. Almost eighty percent of people with eating disorders started with dieting. Experts estimate one in four college women are bulimic. Did you know ninety percent of women overestimate their weight and everyday fifty six percent of women are on a diet. It is also not surprising that eating disorders are on the increase because of the value society places on being thin. Women especially are given the message at a very young age in order for them to be happy and successful they have to be thin. Did you also know the average model weighs twenty three percent less then an average woman. According to medical standards they fit into having a disorder. Diet commercials are constantly appearing on television screens telling us that losing weight will make everyone happy. Over five million American men and women suffer from eating disorders. (Vollstadt 45) Depression, shame, and agonizing sense of isolation is caused by eating disorders, they disrupt families, schools, and damages careers. It’s unfortunate, but in today’s society, people have forgotten that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, not what’s on the outside.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One percent of teenage girls in the US develops anorexia nervosa and up to ten percent of those may die as a result.(AABA 3) Anorexia nervosa is a disorder in which preoccupation with dieting and thinness leads to excessive weight loss. The individual may not acknowledge that his or her weight loss or restrictive eating is a problem. Most women and an increasing number of men are motivated by the urge to become thin. Anorexics usually strive for perfection. They usually have a low self-esteem and sometimes feel that they don’t deserve to eat. Denying the problem occurs most of the time. There are many warning signs for anorexia. Some of the signs are having a noticeable weight loss, becoming withdrawn, lots more exercise, fatigue, weakness in muscles, headaches, and a different attitude towards others. There’s many more, but just look at the ones here and say that they aren’t dangerous. There are also many medical conditions to go with this disease like hair loss, bloating, cold hands and feet, etc. Some people wear baggy clothes to make themselves feel skinnier then they already are and they still feel the urge to lose more weight.

The Civil Rights Movement Essay -- Black struggle for civil rights in A

"Our problem today is that we have allowed the internal to become lost in the external"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today's world is based on appearance, and most often the goal is not as important as the means by which it is achieved. Why is this such a 'problem?' Time after time, people come to find that they have wasted their lives working towards a goal which, in the end, was never worth all that work to begin with, or they realize that they could have gone about their actions differently. The people of modern America are all about living live for the moment, taking risks, not making sacrifices, and never yielding to 'the long run'. Looking at the world of 2015, one can witness the apex of human civilization. Who can question the customs, morals, and nature of today's Americans, without arguing with results?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Consider the Civil Rights Movement (1954-1991). The integration of the two races would have gone a lot easier and faster if both sides discarded their internal principles and beliefs and did their best to make the other side happy, thus creating an equal society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Until Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, certain literacy tests restricted black voting. This was a decent attempt to meet black demands, but the act only opened voting rights to uneducated people (black and white) and put more control in their hands, which was a mistake. That now leaves the question, ?why were there so many more illiterate blacks than whites?...

Rasta

Shaquille T. Sailsman Literature and Composition March 26,2013 Rastafarianism The Rastafarian religion has many different elements. These elements include: history, beliefs, customs/culture, celebrations, and worshipping. Rastafarians believe in the divine nature of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, whose title before his coronation of 1930 who Ras Tafari (Prince of the House of Tafari). The name Haile Selassie means â€Å"Power of Trinity. † He was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930-1974. Haile Selassie never regarded himself as God, nor did he adhere to Rastafari.According to iconn. org, Rastafarians regard Haile Selassie I as God because Marcus Garvey’s prophecy – â€Å"Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be the Redeemer† – was swiftly followed by the ascension of Haile Selassie as Emperor of Ethiopia. Haile Selassie I is regarded by Rastafarians as the God of the black race. The Rastafarian religion began in Jamaica i n the 1930s. The religion was formed after periods of slavery. Rastafarians regarded Jamaica as hell and Ethiopia as heaven.Rastafarians called Jamaica hell because Africans were divided up and sent to destinations throughout the world, in most cases as slaves to whites. This is why many Africans found themselves in Jamaica. Ethiopia, the homeland, was seen as a place of fond memories of freedom and life prior to oppression. This meant it eventually became regarded as heaven. â€Å"Rastafarians believes Jah (God) lives on in some form, and believes that one day he will bring about the return of all black people to their ancestral home in Africa,† (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 152).When Rastafarians have kids, they raise their kids to believe in Jah and after a certain age they should be able to identify who he is. They are also raised to believe that one day he will be raised from the dead and bring them back to Africa, their supposed homeland. Rastafarians dedicate them selves to preparing for this homecoming, growing closer to Jah, (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer). They do this by cultivating peace and harmony with all and by living in a way that is close to nature, mimicking Jah.Another way Rastas try to mimic Jah is by rejecting practices introduced from white culture, which is symbolically called â€Å"Babylon. † The culture of Rastafarian is to condemn the eating of meat. They are all vegetarians. In order to spiritually grow as a person, meat has to be gradually eliminated from the diet. According to www. iconn. org, â€Å"the main reason Rastafarians don't eat meat is because animals try so hard to get away. The fear of the animals can be seen in their eyes.It is evident that they are begging for mercy. Rastafarians will have to show mercy. Within the book of genesis, the LORD gave man dominion over animals. It was not to eat them but to care for them. † An efficient healthy body is very basic. The Rastafarian's diet is desig ned to meet their personal needs. The Rastafarian's food is normally referred to as ital food within the Rastafarian culture. The most traditional way to know a Rastafarian is by their dreadlocks. Some people may wear their hair the Rastafarian way – dreadlocks – without being committed to Rastafarian belief or lifestyle, while many believers feel obligated to abandon the traditional hairstyles for the sake of gaining or remaining in employment,† (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 152). Rastas wear dreadlocks because they do not believe in cutting or combing their hair. It is also the way some ancient African priests and Israelites wore their hair. Sometimes you see a green, red and yellow colored hat over a Rasta's hair. These are the colors of the flag of Ethiopia.Rastas also wear a turban, which is a headband based on cloth winding, over their head to protect and keep their dreadlocks clean. According to www. iconn. org, the holy herb, or known to most as mari juana or ganja, is used in all major Rastafarian celebrations to enhance feelings of peace and community, aid meditation and inspire religious visions. There has often been controversy concerning the legalization of marijuana. Rastafarians are perhaps best known for their religious use of marijuana, which grows plentifully in Jamaica. In addition to ritual use, Rastas also use marijuana for medicinal purposes, applying it o a variety of ailments including colds. Many followers also believe that marijuana aids in the worship of God, Bible study, and meditation. Although not all Rastafarians use marijuana, most believe it will bring a person closer to God. Reggae music originated as an important part of Rastafarian celebrations – asserting the pride and dignity of black people, rejection of white oppression, the beauty of Africa and visions of a peaceful future. Reggae music is intimately connected to Rastafari and its lyrics often speak of oppression, poverty, slavery, aparthe id and human rights.One of the most important figures in trying to spread reggae music was Bob Marley. Born Nesta Robert Marley (1974–1981), he remains the most widely known and the best-selling performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience. A Nyabingi ceremony brings together believers from a wider area, and often last from several days. At these ceremonies, there are chanting, drumming, singing, praying, and dancing as well as shaving of vegetarian food and smoking of marijuana.Some occasions for a Nyabingi are based on the Julian calendar used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church; with the Rastafarian faith has strong links. Holy days and holidays are periods of solemn times for the Rastafarian community worldwide. The Holy days are to pray and ask for penance, fulfilling 2 Chronicles 7v14, â€Å"If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, search for me and rep ent of their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. † (Himchurch. org).Some Rastafarian celebrations includes: Ethiopian New Year – Sept 11th (represents a holiday, which is, observed with a short Prayer Service from 10am-11am), Christmas Day – Jan. 7th (Rastafarians observed this as a holiday), Haile Selassie’s Birthday – July 23rd, and the Anniversary of his coronation – Nov. 2nd, (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 153). Influential prophets and teachers may also be commemorated, but there is no official festival calendar. Rastafarians do not have a specific religious building that is set aside for worshipping.They usually meet weekly, either in a believers’ home or in a community center. The meetings are referred to as Reasoning Sessions. They provide a time for chants, prayers and singing, and for communal issues to be discussed. Marijuana may be smoked to produce heightened spiritual st ates. The music used at these meetings is known as Nyabingi, and so when meetings are mostly musical they are often referred to as Nyabingi meetings. Meetings may also include large feasts. Rastafarians lay great stress on individual bible study and interpretation. Rasta Shaquille T. Sailsman Literature and Composition March 26,2013 Rastafarianism The Rastafarian religion has many different elements. These elements include: history, beliefs, customs/culture, celebrations, and worshipping. Rastafarians believe in the divine nature of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, whose title before his coronation of 1930 who Ras Tafari (Prince of the House of Tafari). The name Haile Selassie means â€Å"Power of Trinity. † He was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930-1974. Haile Selassie never regarded himself as God, nor did he adhere to Rastafari.According to iconn. org, Rastafarians regard Haile Selassie I as God because Marcus Garvey’s prophecy – â€Å"Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be the Redeemer† – was swiftly followed by the ascension of Haile Selassie as Emperor of Ethiopia. Haile Selassie I is regarded by Rastafarians as the God of the black race. The Rastafarian religion began in Jamaica i n the 1930s. The religion was formed after periods of slavery. Rastafarians regarded Jamaica as hell and Ethiopia as heaven.Rastafarians called Jamaica hell because Africans were divided up and sent to destinations throughout the world, in most cases as slaves to whites. This is why many Africans found themselves in Jamaica. Ethiopia, the homeland, was seen as a place of fond memories of freedom and life prior to oppression. This meant it eventually became regarded as heaven. â€Å"Rastafarians believes Jah (God) lives on in some form, and believes that one day he will bring about the return of all black people to their ancestral home in Africa,† (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 152).When Rastafarians have kids, they raise their kids to believe in Jah and after a certain age they should be able to identify who he is. They are also raised to believe that one day he will be raised from the dead and bring them back to Africa, their supposed homeland. Rastafarians dedicate them selves to preparing for this homecoming, growing closer to Jah, (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer). They do this by cultivating peace and harmony with all and by living in a way that is close to nature, mimicking Jah.Another way Rastas try to mimic Jah is by rejecting practices introduced from white culture, which is symbolically called â€Å"Babylon. † The culture of Rastafarian is to condemn the eating of meat. They are all vegetarians. In order to spiritually grow as a person, meat has to be gradually eliminated from the diet. According to www. iconn. org, â€Å"the main reason Rastafarians don't eat meat is because animals try so hard to get away. The fear of the animals can be seen in their eyes.It is evident that they are begging for mercy. Rastafarians will have to show mercy. Within the book of genesis, the LORD gave man dominion over animals. It was not to eat them but to care for them. † An efficient healthy body is very basic. The Rastafarian's diet is desig ned to meet their personal needs. The Rastafarian's food is normally referred to as ital food within the Rastafarian culture. The most traditional way to know a Rastafarian is by their dreadlocks. Some people may wear their hair the Rastafarian way – dreadlocks – without being committed to Rastafarian belief or lifestyle, while many believers feel obligated to abandon the traditional hairstyles for the sake of gaining or remaining in employment,† (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 152). Rastas wear dreadlocks because they do not believe in cutting or combing their hair. It is also the way some ancient African priests and Israelites wore their hair. Sometimes you see a green, red and yellow colored hat over a Rasta's hair. These are the colors of the flag of Ethiopia.Rastas also wear a turban, which is a headband based on cloth winding, over their head to protect and keep their dreadlocks clean. According to www. iconn. org, the holy herb, or known to most as mari juana or ganja, is used in all major Rastafarian celebrations to enhance feelings of peace and community, aid meditation and inspire religious visions. There has often been controversy concerning the legalization of marijuana. Rastafarians are perhaps best known for their religious use of marijuana, which grows plentifully in Jamaica. In addition to ritual use, Rastas also use marijuana for medicinal purposes, applying it o a variety of ailments including colds. Many followers also believe that marijuana aids in the worship of God, Bible study, and meditation. Although not all Rastafarians use marijuana, most believe it will bring a person closer to God. Reggae music originated as an important part of Rastafarian celebrations – asserting the pride and dignity of black people, rejection of white oppression, the beauty of Africa and visions of a peaceful future. Reggae music is intimately connected to Rastafari and its lyrics often speak of oppression, poverty, slavery, aparthe id and human rights.One of the most important figures in trying to spread reggae music was Bob Marley. Born Nesta Robert Marley (1974–1981), he remains the most widely known and the best-selling performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience. A Nyabingi ceremony brings together believers from a wider area, and often last from several days. At these ceremonies, there are chanting, drumming, singing, praying, and dancing as well as shaving of vegetarian food and smoking of marijuana.Some occasions for a Nyabingi are based on the Julian calendar used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church; with the Rastafarian faith has strong links. Holy days and holidays are periods of solemn times for the Rastafarian community worldwide. The Holy days are to pray and ask for penance, fulfilling 2 Chronicles 7v14, â€Å"If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, search for me and rep ent of their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. † (Himchurch. org).Some Rastafarian celebrations includes: Ethiopian New Year – Sept 11th (represents a holiday, which is, observed with a short Prayer Service from 10am-11am), Christmas Day – Jan. 7th (Rastafarians observed this as a holiday), Haile Selassie’s Birthday – July 23rd, and the Anniversary of his coronation – Nov. 2nd, (Breuilly, O’Brien, Palmer, 153). Influential prophets and teachers may also be commemorated, but there is no official festival calendar. Rastafarians do not have a specific religious building that is set aside for worshipping.They usually meet weekly, either in a believers’ home or in a community center. The meetings are referred to as Reasoning Sessions. They provide a time for chants, prayers and singing, and for communal issues to be discussed. Marijuana may be smoked to produce heightened spiritual st ates. The music used at these meetings is known as Nyabingi, and so when meetings are mostly musical they are often referred to as Nyabingi meetings. Meetings may also include large feasts. Rastafarians lay great stress on individual bible study and interpretation.

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 29

I will not die – not again, Elena thought furiously as she writhed in pain, the invisible vise clamping down even harder on her. Bonnie fel to the grass, even paler than before, clutching her stomach in a mirror image of Elena. It cannot take me! And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the deafening roar ceased and the crushing pain lifted. Elena col apsed to the ground, air whooshing back into her lungs. It's finished grinding bones to make its bread, Elena thought semihysterical y, and almost giggled. Bonnie gasped loudly, letting out a smal sob. â€Å"What was that?† Elena asked her. Bonnie shook her head. â€Å"It felt like something was getting pul ed out of us,† she said, panting. â€Å"I felt it before, too, right before you showed up.† â€Å"That pul ing feeling.† Elena grimaced, her mind whirling. â€Å"I think it's the phantom. Damon says that it wants to drain our power. That must be how it does it.† Bonnie was staring at her, her mouth just a tiny bit open. Her pink tongue darted out and licked her lips. â€Å"Damon says?† she said. She frowned anxiously. â€Å"Damon's dead, Elena.† â€Å"No, he's alive. The star bal brought him back after we'd already left the Dark Moon. I found out after the phantom took you.† Bonnie made a little noise, a sort of eep! that reminded Elena of a bunny, of something soft and smal and surprised. Al the blood drained out of her face, leaving her usual y faint freckles vivid spots against the white of her cheeks. She pressed shaking hands to her mouth, staring at Elena with huge dark eyes. â€Å"Listen, Bonnie,† Elena said fiercely. â€Å"Nobody else knows this yet. Nobody but you and me, Bonnie. Damon wanted to keep it a secret until he could figure out the right way to come back. So we need to keep quiet about it.† Bonnie nodded, stil gaping. The color was rushing back into her cheeks, and she looked like she was caught between joy and total confusion. Glancing over her shoulder, Elena noticed that there was something in the grass at the foot of a rosebush beyond Bonnie, something motionless and white. A chil went through her as she was reminded of Caleb's body at the foot of the monument in the graveyard. â€Å"What's that?† she asked sharply. Bonnie's expression tipped over into confusion. Elena brushed past her and walked toward it, squinting in the sunlight. When she got close enough, Elena saw with amazement that it was Matt, lying stil and silent beneath the rosebush. A sprinkle of black petals was scattered across his chest. As she came close to him, Matt's eyes twitched – she could see them moving rapidly back and forth under the lids, as if he was having an intense dream – and then flew open as he took in a long, rattling gulp of air. His pale blue eyes met hers. â€Å"Elena!† He gasped. He hitched himself up onto his elbows and looked past her. â€Å"Bonnie! Thank God! Are you okay? Where are we?† â€Å"The phantom caught us, brought us to the Nether World, and is using us to make itself more powerful,† Elena said succinctly. â€Å"How do you feel?† â€Å"A little startled,† Matt joked in a weak voice. He looked around, then licked his lips nervously. â€Å"Huh, so this is the Nether World? It's nicer than I'd pictured from your descriptions. Shouldn't the sky be red? And where are al the vampires and demons?† He looked at Elena and Bonnie sternly. â€Å"Were you guys tel ing the truth about everything that happened to you here? Because this place seems pretty nice for a Hel dimension, what with al the roses and everything.† Elena stared at him. It's possible too many weird things have happened to us. Then she noticed the hint of panic on Matt's face. He wasn't unnatural y blase about what was going on; he was just being brave, whistling to keep up their spirits in this newest danger. â€Å"Wel , we wanted to impress you,† she joked back with a tremulous smile, then quickly got down to business. â€Å"What was going on when you were back home?† she asked him. â€Å"Um,† Matt said, â€Å"Stefan and Meredith were questioning Caleb about how he summoned the phantom.† â€Å"Caleb's not responsible for the phantom,† Elena said firmly. â€Å"It fol owed us home when we were here before. We have to get home right away so we can tel them they're dealing with one of the Original ones. It'l be much more difficult for us to get rid of than an ordinary one.† Matt looked at Bonnie questioningly. â€Å"How does she know this?† â€Å"Wel ,† Bonnie said, with a hint of the glee she always got from gossip, â€Å"apparently Damon told her. He's alive and she saw him!† So much for keeping Damon's secret, Bonnie, Elena thought, rol ing her eyes. Stil , it didn't real y matter if Matt knew. He wasn't the one Damon was keeping the secret from, and he wasn't likely to be able to tel Stefan anytime soon. Elena tuned out Matt's exclamations of wonder and Bonnie's explanations as she scanned the area around them. Sunshine. Rosebushes. Rosebushes. Sunshine. Grass. Clear blue sky. Al the same, in every direction. Wherever she looked, velvety black perfect blooms nodded serenely in a clear midday sun. The bushes were al the same, down to the number and positions of the roses on each one and the distances between them. Even the stems of grass were uniform – al stopping at the same height. The sun hadn't moved since she'd arrived. It al seemed like it should be lovely and relaxing, but after a few minutes the sameness became unnerving. â€Å"There was a gate,† she told Bonnie and Matt. â€Å"When we were looking into this field from the Gatehouse of the Seven Treasures. There was a way in from there, so there must be a way to get out to there. We just have to find it.† They had begun to clamber to their feet when, without warning, the sharp tugging pain struck again. Elena clutched her stomach. Bonnie lost her balance and fel back to a sitting position on the ground, her eyes clenched shut. Matt gave a choked-off exclamation and gasped. â€Å"What is that?† Elena waited for the pain to fade again before she answered him. Her knees were wobbling. She felt dizzy and sick. â€Å"Another reason we need to get out of here,† she said. â€Å"The phantom's using us to increase its power. I think it needs us here to do that. And if we don't find the gate soon, we might be too weak to make it home.† She looked around again, the uniformity almost dizzying. Each rosebush was centered in a smal circular bed of richlooking dark loam. Between these circles, the grass of the field was velvety smooth, like the lawn of an English manor house or a real y good golf course. â€Å"Okay,† Elena said, and took a deep, calming breath. â€Å"Let's spread out and look careful y. We'l stay about ten feet apart from one another and go from one end of this rose garden to the other, searching. Look around careful y – anything that's at al different from the rest of the field could be the clue we need to find the way out.† â€Å"We're going to search the whole field?† Bonnie asked, sounding dismayed. â€Å"It's huge.† â€Å"We'l just do one little bit at a time,† Elena said encouragingly. They started in a spread-out line, gazing intently back and forth, up and down. At first there was only the silence of focused concentration as they searched. There was no sign of a gate. Step by step through the field, nothing changed. Endless rows of identical rosebushes stretched in al directions, spaced about three feet from one another, enough room between them for one person to easily pass. The eternal midday sun beat down uncomfortably on the tops of their heads, and Elena wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. The scent of roses hung heavily in the warm air; at first Elena had found it pleasant, but now it was nauseating, like a too-sweet perfume. The perfect stalks of grass bent under her feet, then sprang up again, uncrushed, as if she had never passed. â€Å"I wish there were a breeze,† Bonnie complained. â€Å"But I don't think the wind ever blows here.† â€Å"This field must come to an end sometime,† Elena said desperately. â€Å"It can't just go on forever.† There was a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach, though, that suggested to her that maybe it could go on forever. This wasn't her world, after al . The rules were different here. â€Å"So where's Damon now?† Bonnie asked suddenly. She wasn't looking at Elena. She was keeping up the same steady pace, the same careful, systematic gaze. But there was a note of strain in her voice, and Elena broke her own search to glance at her quickly. Then one possible answer to Bonnie's question hit Elena and she stopped dead. â€Å"That's it!† she said. â€Å"Bonnie, Matt, I think Damon might be here. Or not here, not in the rose garden, but somewhere in the Nether World, in the Dark Dimension.† They looked at her blankly. â€Å"Damon was going to try to come here to look for the phantom,† Elena explained. â€Å"He thought it fol owed us home from here when we came back to our own world, so this is probably where he'd start searching for its physical body. The last time I saw him, he told me that he thought he would be able to fight it better from here, where it came from. If he is here, maybe he can help us get back to Fel ‘s Church.† Damon, please be here somewhere. Please help us, she begged silently. Just then, something caught her eye. Ahead of them, between two rosebushes that looked just the same as any other two rosebushes in the garden, there was the slightest shift, the tiniest distortion. It looked like the heat shimmer that would sometimes appear over the highway on the hottest, most stil days of summer as the sun's rays bounced off the asphalt. No asphalt here to radiate back the sun's heat. But something had to be causing that shimmer. Unless she was imagining it. Were her eyes playing tricks on her, showing her a mirage among the rosebushes? â€Å"Do you see that?† she asked the others. â€Å"Over there, just a little to the right?† They stopped and peered careful y. â€Å"Maybe?† Bonnie said hesitantly. â€Å"I think so,† Matt said. â€Å"Like hot air rising, right?† â€Å"Right,† Elena said. She frowned, estimating the distance. Maybe fifteen feet. â€Å"We should take it at a run,† she said. â€Å"In case we have any trouble getting through. There might be some kind of barrier we have to break to get out. I don't think hesitating wil help us.† â€Å"Let's hold hands,† Bonnie suggested nervously. â€Å"I don't want to lose you guys.† Elena didn't take her eyes off the shimmer in the air. If she lost it, she'd never find it again, not with the sameness of everything in here. Once they got turned around, they'd never be able to tel this spot from any other. They al three took one another's hands, staring at the smal distortion that they hoped was a gate. Bonnie was in the middle and she clutched Elena's left hand with her thin, warm fingers. â€Å"One, two, three, go,† Bonnie said, and then they were running. They stumbled over the grass, wove between rosebushes. The space between the bushes was barely wide enough for three to run abreast, and a thorny branch caught in Elena's hair. She couldn't let go of Bonnie and she couldn't stop, so she just yanked her head forward despite the eye-wateringly painful tug on her hair and kept running, leaving a tangle of hair hanging from a bush behind her. Then they were at the shimmer between the bushes. Close up, it was even harder to see, and Elena would have doubted that they were at the right spot except for the change in the temperature. It might have looked like a heat shimmer from a distance, but it was as cold and bracing as a mountain lake, despite the warm sun right above them. â€Å"Don't stop!† Elena shouted. And they plunged into the coldness. In an instant, everything went black, as if someone had switched off the sun. Elena felt herself fal ing and clung desperately to Bonnie's hand. Damon! she cried silently. Help me!

Does Herodotus believe in Cultural Relativism Essay

For its time and place, The Histories of Herodotus is a work of remarkably expansive scope. To set the stage for the wars between Greece and Persia ( 490-479 B. C. ), Herodotus describes the geographical and cultural background and reviews the political history of Lydia, Media, Babylon, Egypt, Persia, Scythia, Libya, Ionia, and various Greek city-states in Asia Minor, on the Aegean islands, and on the European mainland. To record the results of his â€Å"research† (historie, in Greek) with the greatest vigor and accuracy, Herodotus traveled to many of these places and gathered firsthand data from native informants. For this type of research, in the words of a modern commentator, Herodotus merits the title not only of the father of history; he is also the father of comparative anthropology. Among the various classes of information which Herodotus seems to have emphasized, thus suggesting a pattern for later descriptions, were marriage customs, religious rites, burial practices, and food habits. The description of these four categories of traits, or â€Å"social institutions,† were not necessarily executed in the round for every tribe that happened to stroll across the pages of the Histories; but they were mentioned often enough to indicate the direction taken by his curiosity, and the content of the questions he probably put to informants. Herodotus, the ancient Greek, was a cheerful, inquisitive, rationalistic extrovert who traveled over his world to discover the facts, who took delight in telling a good story but usually avoided the temptation to wander very far from sober common sense. His cultural relativism is well known and much discussed, but it is particularly noteworthy that Greeks and barbarians are placed on a equal footing at the outset. Distinctions between Greek and non-Greek break down as the work progresses: the first barbarian for whom we get any detailed information is the Hellenized Lydian king, Croesus; the divisions of lands customary among the Greeks that separate Greek and non-Greek peoples are purely arbitrary; we learn of the Phoenician descent of Sparta’s kings; and Herodotus states that the descendants of Perseus came to be counted as Greeks. The key dichotomy is not the Hellenic-barbarian bipolarity, but rather the opposition of the ordered society based on law and the arbitrary rule of the despot. But political and social institutions are fragile structures, and Herodotus gives no guarantee that the Greek superiority at the time of the Persian Wars, which was based upon those institutions, will last. In fact his work closes on an ominous note that appears to warn imperial Athens that it is in danger of becoming, if it has not already become, the barbarian. We are presented with the gruesome picture of the crucifixion of the Persian satrap Artayctes at the command of the Athenian commander Xanthippus, father of Pericles, and a piece of wisdom from the Persian founding father, Cyrus, on the dangers of success and affluence. And it is well to remember that Herodotus wrote long after the Persian threat had passed, when Athenian imperial power was at its apogee. Herodotos’ interest in reciprocity is symptomatic of contemporary philosophy, not least in Ionia. Moreover, Herodotos’ very project, his attempt to explain and explore the Persian Wars, can be considered as a study of reciprocity in cross-cultural interaction, not least because those wars were for Herodotos a stage in a reciprocal, cross-cultural process, as he asserts in the proem. Indeed, war itself may be seen as an exchange, a reciprocal undertaking: the tactics of the Skythian Idanthyrsos allow him to wage war while explicitly rejecting the relationship that war usually entails. Herodotos’ origins in western Asia Minor, a key area of interface between Greek and non-Greek culture, may have led him to give particular thought to the issue of cross-cultural reciprocity, as also to the Persian Wars, for which the Ionian Revolt had been the catalyst, if not the cause. At the same time, the justice and injustice of imperialism remained a burning issue through the fifth century into the fourth, and not only Persian imperialism, but also Athenian, Spartan, and Macedonian. The Persian Wars were the great antecedents of the Peloponnesian War, in the early years of which Herodotos seems to have completed his work. The Persians themselves continued to play a major role in the politics of the Greek world: the onset of the Peloponnesian War seems to have inspired new attempts to deal with them, and with other non-Greeks, as indicated in comic style in Aristophanes’ Akharnians of 425 BC. 25 This is understandable, for it was to be Persian resources that would give ultimate victory to the Spartans in that war. Thus, it is quite possible that crosscultural reciprocity was a topical concern in Athens and elsewhere when Herodotos completed his work, though the issue had been close to the centre of Greek preoccupations at least since the time of the Persian Wars, Herodotos’ subject. The Persian Wars had reinforced a Hellenic self-image, defined by contrast with the ‘barbarian’ identity, and had thereby further problematized relationships between Greek and non-Greek. In particular, Greeks (especially Athenians, perhaps) could and did use their defeat of Persia as confirmation of a broader superiority over the barbarian. In exploring the difficulties of forming relationships with the ‘other’, Herodotos’ Histories present readers with failures and disasters, arising primarily from ignorance, over-confidence, and cultural chauvinism. There is a definite element of pessimism in the Histories, for the inability to penetrate beyond contingent nomoi and thereby to see ‘other’ as ‘self’ is taken to be an observable feature of human nature, as manifested throughout the narrative. In particular, wars are seen to be the products of injustice and attendant ignorance. But there is also hope; for the author claims for himself the ability to rise above commonplace failings and offers to provide his readers with a better understanding of themselves, of others, and of reciprocity. Like Kroisos, the reader may pass into a state of deeper understanding through advice confirmed by experience. Where Kroisos had the advice of Solon and suffered personal disaster, the reader has the advice of Herodotos the author and suffers vicarious disaster, ‘experiencing experiences’. Baldry notices that Herodotos calls into question the whole dichotomy between Greek and barbarian, when he presents the Egyptian perspective, according to which barbarians are not those who do not speak Greek, but those who do not speak Egyptian. At the same time, as Laurot has shown, Herodotos displays no interest in condemning barbarians as such, nor in subordinating them to Greeks. Rather, his presentation in the Histories of nomoi of the barbarian ‘other’ offers insights into the nomoi of the Greek ‘self’ (or better, ‘selves’), insofar as the various Greek nomoi constitute Herodotos’ principal frame of reference and benchmark. However, as Rosellini and Said valuably stress, Herodotos does not present the barbarian ‘other’ as a monolithic unity, any more than he presents the Greeks themselves as a unity: rather he ranges across the different nomoi that exist among barbarians and through the complexities of interaction between various barbarian peoples. The Histories are not so much a mirror, as Hartog would have it, but a hall of mirrors with multiple reflections. The key point is that in the Histories cultural differences, however profound they may be, are presented as secondary to a common human nature and a common human condition: in that sense too Greek is barbarian, ‘self’ is ‘other’. The categories of Greek and barbarian are familiar to Herodotos, but on his view, as the proem indicates, they need not entail the subordination of the barbarian, whose achievements are to be celebrated also. For Herodotos, it is humanness that is the natural identity and the group identity that matters, and man-made variations are merely contingent, for all their exotic character and interest. Confirmation of such a view of Herodotos may be found in the condemnatory response of Plutarch, for whom Herodotos is far too positive about barbarians. The ferocity of Plutarch’s response (indeed, his very decision to write a response at all) further indicates the strength of the challenge that Herodotos’ case presented to the smug asseverations of Greek specialness that seem to have developed through the fifth century and which Plutarch in his day assumed to be right and proper. Cross-cultural interaction was central to Herodotos’ project in the Histories. At the same time, the problematic nature of reciprocity the uncertainty that arises from its under-negotiation — is particularly apparent in interaction across cultures. Indeed, Herodotos’ concern with the problematics of reciprocity as a phenomenon can be seen as intimately bound up with his concern with cross-cultural interaction. Of course, Herodotos’ starting-point is a matter of mere speculation. But we can and should observe the organic relationship between cross-cultural interaction, crosscultural reciprocity, and the problematics of reciprocity as a phenomenon. It is precisely within the problematics of cross-cultural reciprocity that the appreciation of cultural relativism is particularly necessary. Therefore, if we move from the claim, already mentioned, that there is a strong sense in which the Histories are about reciprocity to ask why Herodotos should be so interested in the phenomenon, I would suggest that an answer is to be found not in the topicality of reciprocity as a theme in the later fifth century, but in the rationale of Herodotos’ very undertaking. A broadlybased treatment of the Persian Wars by its very nature invites a simultaneous and inherent treatment of reciprocity as a phenomenon. To examine societies is to explore forms of reciprocities. All the more so, when societies invite comparisons through their It also seems clear that Herodotus approached the task of describing manners and customs with a fairly definite idea of what constituted a culture, and a fairly specific set of questions for evoking details from informants. The criteria which separated one group from another and gave individuality to his descriptive portraits were common descent, common language, common religion, and the observance of like manners in the smaller details of living, such as dress, diet, and dwellings. The Argippeans, who lived at the foot of the Ural Mountains, were presented vividly as being bald from birth, speaking a language of their own, using no weapons, dispensing justice in the quarrels of their neighbors, and dressing after the manner of the Scythians. They lived on the juice of a species of cherry, making the lees into a solid cake which they ate instead of meat. They dwell each man,† he said, â€Å"under a tree, covering it in winter with a white felt cloth, but using no felt in summer. † For each group, in other words, seven categories of cultural fact are given. We are told their geographical location and something of their environment. We are told of their language, their dress, their food, their dwellings, their form of self-defense, or their lack of it, their prestige as judges among other peoples. On the other hand, concerning Egypt, one of the more important culture areas, Herodotus says at the outset that he will have to extend his remarks to some length. This country–its climate, its people and animals–was a constant surprise and challenge to the observer, very much as Japan with its customs and Australia with its fauna have challenged the modern traveller. For the Egyptians the number of cultural categories evoked far exceeds the seven used in describing the Argippeans. As for history, Bodin’s belief in its power to confer knowledge concerning the ways of mankind was unfaltering; and much of both the Methodus and the Republique is devoted to the assemblage of documentation to support this contention. Never before perhaps had a writer on politics or ethnography amassed so large a body of dated materials or laid so large a literature under tribute. He was well-read, not only in the law and the Bible, but in the Talmud and the Cabala; in the ancients, including Herodotus, Strabo, Cicero, Tacitus, and Caesar; in the modern historians, such as Joinville, Froissart, Monstrelet, Commines; and in the travelers, Marco Polo, Leo Africanus, and Las Casas. As they err, said he, â€Å"who study the maps of regions before they have learned accurately the relation of the whole universe and the separate parts to each other and to the whole, so they are not less mistaken who think they can understand particular histories before they have judged the order and sequence of universal history and of all times, set forth as it were in a table. †