Globalization can be considered to be a benefit and at the negative process. Indeed, the internationalization of trade worldwide is an improvement in terms of the effects it has for the offer on the world markets. But, at the same time, it creates a certain discrepancy at the level of the society which is visible in all major cities of the world. The level of poverty has become increasingly worrisome and most argue that it is the new disease of the 21st century. The culture of poverty theory argues that "poor people share deviant cultural characteristics. The poor have lifestyles that differ from the rest of society and that these characteristics perpetuate their life of poverty. The poor are qualitatively different in values and these cultural differences explain continued poverty."(Eitzen and Baca-Zinn, 1994) Therefore it can be said that poverty, according to this theory, is a trait which is perpetuated generation after generation. Moreover, the issue of the culture of

1.Religion and Violence: Catholicism, Islam, Judaism have historical periods of violence, either between factions within their religion or against other religions. Give a brief report on one of these with in the Catholic and Islam religions. How has religious violence been justified? Do you think the justifications are valid? Why? In the 11th century, Western Europe was divided into states that were involved in disputes over property. The Western Christendom, however, maintained sovereignty under the leadership of the popes. Through the leadership of the popes, they were able to convince the Western Europeans to unite and form an army. This was to protect their lands against the Byzantine and Mohameddan empires. These military operations were motivated by moral and political justification. Primarily, this was to deliver a vow of delivering the Holy Place from any group that would threaten their sovereignty. These were the Mohammedans, pagans, heretics, or those considered to b

Summary: Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon by Jorge Amado is set in Brazil in the port town of Ilheus during the 1920s. At the beginning of the novel, Ilheus is experiencing a terrible rainfall that threatens the prized cacao crop, on which the town depends for its survival. Through a miracle, the rains cease, and the people believe they are blessed-but really their troubles are only beginning. The religious people of the land are ruled by the irreligious, domineering "colonels" who dispense much-needed funds to enable the churches and schools to function. The colonels can do no wrong and nothing these strong-armed men do is questioned. For example, one of the cornels named Colonel Mendonça is so corrupt that he believes he is entirely above the law, and is surprised when he is put on trial for the murder of his wife when he finds her with a lover, and kills both the man and the woman in his fury. He, along with the other cornels and wealthy cac

Senate's Long Losing Streak on Presidency Could Be Near an End By Carl Hulse (NYT - 2/7/08) With the unexpected withdrawal of Republican Mitt Romney from the presidential race, the likelihood of a sitting United States senator going straight from Congress to the presidency appears very strong. Chances are that Republican Senator John McCain will face either Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama, both Democratic Senators, in the upcoming 2008 presidential election Almost 50 U.S. senators have run for the nation's highest office, but only Bob Dole, Barry Goldwater, George McGovern, John Kerry and John F. Kennedy won their respective party's nomination. The last time that a sitting U.S. senator won the presidency was in 1960, when John F, Kennedy defeated former Senator R

Executive Summary I would invest in Lowe's over Home Depot. Over the past five years, both firms have undertaken aggressive expansion. However, the more measured pace of Lowe's expansion has allowed them to steadily improve their financial position. Conversely, Home Depot has just in the past year added a significant amount of leverage in order to finance their growth. Given that Lowe's has been able to successfully expand parallel to Home Depot, I do not see any first mover advantages that would justify the premium Home Depot has put on its growth in taking on such debt. This sentiment is backed up by the deterioration of Home Depot's interest coverage ratio. Five years ago, HD had almost no debt. But since it began to take on debt, it has seen its ability to cover those payments drop dramatically with each passing year. While the present interest coverage ratio is not alarming in and of itself, the trend exhibited is. Lowe's, on the other hand, h

International Business Machines is one of the oldest technology companies in the world. It foundations go back as far as 1880 and it's goals have nearly always been associated with creating better more efficient ways for businesses to run. IBM builds hardware and software in large and small scale and supports thousands of its offerings internationally. IT has been the source of innovation and practice and often applies its own business practices to its development of new innovation. IBM is the largest information technology company in the world, the world's largest business and technology services company, the world's largest consulting services organization, the world's largest information technology research organization, and the world's largest financier of information technology. IBM is an innovation-based business serving the needs of enterprises and institutions worldwide. (Triangle Business Journal, "IBM Company Profile," 2008, NP) As the largest corporation

The Cuban Missile Crisis is considered to be one of the most important crises of the Cold War. This assumption was made in the light of some questions which arose following the end of the crisis. 1.One fallacy of the crisis was the actual reason for which the missiles were deployed on the Cuban territory. It was first though that the move was motivated by the desire of the Russians to reset the nuclear equilibrium. However, recent evidence pointed out that, although this was the main reason, there were others as well. In this sense, in Khrushchev's memoir's, he stated that the actions were motivated also by the desire to keep the balance of power and to show the American side the power of the Russian nuclear arsenal (Scott and Smith, 1994). Another misperception of the crisis is related to the establishment of the quarantine which was motivated in the beginning by the need to actually completely deter the soviet threat. However, it was later interpreted as being just a deterre

A. Observation For a non-Catholic, whose familiarity with Christianity is limited to American-style Protestantism, there is something foreign, beautiful, and historical about attending a Roman Catholic service. The foreign aspects of the Catholic worship service are evident as soon as one enters the church, because most Catholic churches are more ornate than the majority of Protestant churches. The outside of the church I attended was very decorative, featuring tall spires and a stone surface. The church's stained glass windows were also visible from the outside, though the depth and intensity of their color and design was far more noticeable from inside of the building. The church's mysterious and ornate appearance continued once inside the building, as well. The stained glass windows let colored light into the entry way and into the church's sanctuary. In addition to the stained glass, the entry way had religious-themed paintings, icons, and statues. These fea

Symbols There are several similarities between the ways in which Judaism and Christianity apply imagery and symbolism. The most common general symbol for each is, respectively, the Star of David and the Cross of Christ. The Star signifies the prophets, and the way in which they in turn represent the Messiah and the hope that he will bring. The Cross also signifies the Savior, but this is in a retrospective sense. Like the star, it also points forward to the reappearance of Jesus at the end of time. While the Star of David retrospectively symbolize the Old Testament prophets, it also points towards the future in terms of the Messiah that is to arrive. Christianity and Judaism also rely on symbolism within their ceremonies. For Christianity, rituals such as the Holy Communion also symbolize the central message of the faith. Christ gave his body and blood, which are symbolized by the water and wine used during the sacrament. The members of the church are seen as symbolic of

In recent years, as awareness of globalization has entered the mainstream, a variety of tomes examining the detrimental effects of this process have emerged. While some of the literature is strictly intended for a scholarly audience, many books have been published with the general reader in mind. In what follows, I will examine both the sociological and – for lack of a better term – "popular" literature of globalization organized around three basic, but essential themes: 1) Globalization as the Precursor of Inequality; 2) Globalization as a means of Exploitation of people and resources; and 3) Globalization as the harbinger of Dominance and Power. Globalization as the Precursor of Inequality In When Corporations Rule the World, David Korten argues that the rise of corporations in the United States today has effectively worked to destroy the foundational concepts of private enterprise that the United States of America was founded upon. What is more,

According to Harris County's 2006 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) generated and published by the County Auditor's Office, Capital Projects Funds are used to account for bond sale proceeds and other revenues which are used for the construction and acquisition of major capital projects in the county including the Flood Control District, and the county's Sports and Convention Corporation. According to the CAFR, Capital Projects Funds include: Roads: This fund is used to finance the construction and improvement of roads throughout the County, Permanent Improveme

Introduction The conceptions of how child maltreatment originates and is maintained as an enduring and destructive social phenomenon have been debated in theory and research for many years. The conception of child abuse, though it has changed over time has been irreconcilably changed by psychology and more specifically psychological theory. Probably the two most altering of theories, as they are applied to child maltreatment and its perpetuation are ecology theory and social learning theory. The basic tenants of ecology theory as it is applied to child maltreatment is four levels of ecology can be used to explain why some parents maltreat their children: the ontogeny or basic development of the perpetrator, the family, community and society in which he or she was embedded. (Belsky, 1980, pp.320-335) Social learning theory proposes that child maltreatment is an aspect of observational learning, where children observe aggressive behaviors and such behaviors become an unconscious drive

The globalization process can be considered to be one of the most important events that marked the history of the human kind. The signs and manifestations of global trends are visible throughout the history of our civilization. The Roman Empire, the Chinese culture, or even the powers of the British Empire are examples of the exercise of power and influence at a global level. However, during the times these examples make reference to the world was limited to the known territories; therefore, the magnitude of the consequences this influence provided cannot be compared to what we understand today through globalization. Global tendencies are visible at every level of our current day to day life, starting from the news we receive on television, to the goods that are sold in supermarkets around the world. However, probably the most important aspect which points out the high level of globalization our world is experiencing is the international political scene and the economic environment.

It is not unusual to hear people discussing the fact that many of our views and perceptions are based on stereotypes that are perpetuated by the media, yet to a large degree these are that same people with 3-4 televisions in their homes, running for up to 30 hours a day. We assume that the television news speaks the truth, even though we are told by the media itself that television is slanted by ratings, owner and stakeholder opinion and even the concept of what sells and what offends. We are now a culture whose information, ideas and epistemology are given form by television, not by the printed word. (Postman, 2005, p.10) The danger then comes from the idea that the media, television and film, subtly and overtly defines identity, of self and "other" to an alarming degree. One expert contends that the influence on the next generations is even more dangerous, as the only rival of the classroom and the playground is television and film. The schools' major rival for influencin

All physicians must first take the Hippocratic Oath before beginning on their path of medicine and healing. The oath is thousands of years old and represents the key elements of the physician's beliefs and ideals toward his patients and medicine in general. This ancient oath is still practiced all over the world today, and represents man kind's long and arduous attempt to master healing and medicine. The beginning of the physician's oath opens with an invocation of Greek gods and goddesses, most noteworthy Apollo and Asclepius. In this way, the physician taking the oath is swearing by his most scared beliefs to fulfill his duty. If he were to ever break his oath, that would be blasphemous, he would be breaking his promise to the gods. This oath originated in ancient Greece and therefore still has ties to ancient Greek customs and beliefs. Apollo was one of the major Olympian gods who presided over human affairs. Asclepius was

Social Bond Theory, as conceptualized by Travis Hirschi in 1969, the Differential Association Theory of Edwin Sutherland (1947) and Albert Bandera's Aggressive Behavior theory (1986) all attempt to explore the influence of social influences and social conditioning upon human behavior. According to Hirschi, human beings, as innately social animals, form social ties that act as controls against the human animal's equally innate impulse to act in a purely self-interested, often violent way. Travis Hirschi states "we are all animals, and thus all naturally capable of committing criminal acts...people commit crimes because it is in their nature to do so. The question that really needs an answer is why do most people not commit crimes" (cited by Zappen, 2005). An individual who fails to form bonds with their family, church, school, and work is more apt to commit a crime

1. Diversity has become a matter of great importance for nowadays companies that activate in a global environment. Diversity as a strategic choice gains more ground in the detriment of traditional strategic choices, given the complex diversity of workforce, on the one hand, and of the target markets, on the other hand. However, the implementation of diversity as key strategic choice has its advantages and its disadvantages also. Even so, the orientation towards supporting a diverse workplace tends to attract more positive effects rather than negative ones. It is my opinion that diversity brings positive effects on a long term, while the negative aspects involved by orienting towards diversity are of short term only, and they can be counteracted in time, with suitable measures that need to be taken. The most important advantage provided by the diversity of the workforce resides in the fact that this strategy enhances competitive advantage. The reason for this is the fact that the mos

Expansion: Discuss the internal features of Islam and context of Arabia and beyond that contributed to Islam's attraction and rapid rise Theological, geographical, and political reasons all enabled Islam to rapidly spread throughout the Middle East. The first and most important factor in the spread of Islam was the creation of a sacred book, known as the Koran, which provided a record of Muhammad's visions. The creation of such a book gave his

Shiite and Sunni Visions: Explain how the two visions of leadership evolved into different interpretations on the way the revelation and the traditions of Muhammad should be kept alive in the international Islamic community Although, to Westerners, Islam may look like a monolith, it is divided into two contentious factions, representatives of Sunni and Shiite Islam. Upon the death of Muhammad, the majority of the Muslims believed that the next leader should be elected. However, a minority group of followers of Muhammad's son Ali disagreed with this decision and believed that succession should

Muhammad: Describe something about the person of Muhammad and the roles he occupied during his life. How is he compared to Moses and Jesus in Islamic traditions? Consider his contributions, the nature of the culture, and the needs of emerging Islam as you discuss the need for a successor after his death In Islam, Muhammad is regarded as a prophet, not as the Son of God, like Jesus is in Christianity. As Muhammad is regarded as a mouthpiece of the divine, he is like Moses, but unlike Moses, he is also regarded as responsible for founding the Islamic faith, thus he is revered even more, as a 'special' prophet. His function in Islam combines the roles of both Abraham and Moses in Jewish tradition, and as the last true prophet he also 'completes' the

Living in a multicultural society among people of different faiths, ethnicity, and nationalities has a number of obvious advantages as well as disadvantages. If an individual, or the society as a whole, is able to tap the positive synergy of diversity, there are enormous benefits to be gained. On the other hand, we are just as likely to reap the equally destructive downside of religious hatred, ethnic rivalries, and nationalist jingoism, if we choose to ignore the pitfalls. Multicultural and diverse communities enable societies to benefit from a diversity of skills. Consider the reasons behind the rise of the United States as a major world power in the last two centuries. The philosophy of the country's Constitution was based on the strict separation of religion from the affairs of the State, freedom, and liberty. This enabled people of different faiths to make America t

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the play "Pygmalion" and the musical "My Fair Lady." Specifically it will discuss Professor Henry Higgins and how his attitude about Eliza undergoes a change by the end of the production. George Bernard Shaw's classic story of transformation became one of the most beloved of all Broadway musicals when Alan Jay Lerner turned the story into a musical. In the beginning, Professor Higgins only takes on the task of turning Eliza into a real "lady" because of a bet and because of the challenge of remaking a person into another one, but by the end of the production, he has fallen in love with her, and that makes her transformation truly complete. Professor Henry Higgins begins this play as a self-righteous linguistic snob, a member of the British upper class, who looks down on anyone who has a lesser social position than he does. As the introduction to the play notes, "'Pygmalion' has as its subject-theme the institutions

Through the Looking Glass as Second World Fantasy Fantasy, as Edmund Little contends in his study The fantasts: Studies in J.R.R. Tolkien, Lewis Carroll, Mervyn Peak, Nikolay Gogol and Kenneth Grahame, is almost impossible to define as a literary genre. According to Little, all fiction is a fantasy, even when it claims to be objective or when it seems realistic to the mind's eye (Little, 3). Adopting Tolkien's view of the fantastic, Little argues that, in a fantasy, the reader is introduced to a Secondary World, as opposed to the Primary World which is the universe as we know it. These two terms are used so as to avoid the word "reality", which is obviously only an arbitrary definition. The main requirement is that this Secondary World have "inner consistency"(Little, 2), so as to be probable. Through the Looking Glass continues Alice's adventures in another wonderland, this time the world in the mirror, or the looking glass. As Little emphasizes,

Introduction The Department of Homeland Security assesses the nation's vulnerabilities, which means it takes the lead in evaluating vulnerabilities and coordinating with other federal, state, local, and private entities to ensure the most effective response (Department of Homeland Security). "WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released the National Response Framework (NRF), successor to the National Response Plan. The NRF, which focuses on response and short-term recovery, articulates the doctrine, principles and architecture by which our nation prepares for and responds to all-hazard disasters across all levels of government and all sectors of communities. The NRF is responsive to repeated federal, state, local and private sector requests for a streamlined document that is less bureaucratic and more user-friendly. The NRF also focuses on preparedness and encourages a higher level of readiness across all jurisdictions" (Department of Home

Italy has been an attractive tourist destination for centuries. It offers gentle climate, beautiful mountains, picturesque sceneries, gorgeous coastline, and vibrant, historically and culturally rich cities, such as Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan to name only the four most popular tourist destinations in Italy. The capital city Rome is perhaps the most generous as far as monuments, museums and squares. By the seventeenth century, Piazza di Spagna was already famous throughout Europe. Piazza di Spagna – The Spanish Square – was named in honor of the Spanish ambassador whose residence was located nearby. In fact, in the beginning only half of it was named in honor of the Spanish whereas the other half was entitled Piazza di Francia – the French Square, again a tribute to the French sovereigns who were responsible for building the impressive cathedral Trinita dei Monti atop the Spanish stairs. Even in those days the square was among the most famous places in Europe wi