Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Essay about The Human Being and Living the Good Life

Philosophy 1000C Final Paper The Human Being and Living The Good Life This paper contains the different definitions of what it means to be a human being and living a good life. In this paper we will take a look at Hobbes and Augustine’s definition of the human being and the good life. Both of these philosophers give examples of what they think the good life is, and the desires of human nature. In this paper I will talk about Augustine and his thought of how in order to live a good life, one needs to seek God to find true happiness. I will also talk about what being a human being and living the good life means to Hobbes, and his thought of how human equality is the ticket to happiness and the good life. I think Augustine offers a†¦show more content†¦He believes that a person that chases materialistic items is one who is selfish, because that person is always thinking about what the world/ another person can do for me; A godly person is one who appreciates the world for who it is and another person for who he/she is. A godly person fin ds the life fulfilled. He believes that because human beings are all sinners, chasing after materialistic items will only lead to more sin and addiction, it won’t give us the ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment. Augustine shares his personal experience with us about how he chased after materialistic items and stole for fun, but it was never enough to fulfill him. He talks about his lust and search for love, but he didn’t find true love, fulfillment, or happiness until he found God. Human beings are the same, they chase after fame, money, popularity, success, and material items, but they will always feel the void, emptiness, and unfulfilled. Materialistic happiness is only temporary. Ultimate fulfillment and happiness requires spiritual existence and not tangible existence. Hobbes believes that the definition of human nature is a person who desires happiness. Hobbes believes that happiness is relative to the individual. There is no universal happiness. Hobbes believes that human beings are self-centered, self- preservative, and desire power. Hobbes believed that the state of nature would lead to the state of war because there are no laws in the stateShow MoreRelatedThe Philosophy Of Philosophy And Philosophy1451 Words   |  6 Pages Philosophy is recognized by the questions being asked, and the methods used to answer them. These questions are usually the ones that are open-ended, abstract, or the ones that lead to controversial answers. Due to the openness in philosophy, the uncertainty, there is not just one viewpoint that is completely accepted by all to be true. This leads to many disputes and conversations that are ultimately driven by the core of philosophy, which is its latin translation, the love of wisdom. Now, theRead MorePaul Taylors Respec t for Nature: Human Superiority Essay874 Words   |  4 PagesNature, Paul Taylor develops the following four elements of the biocentric outlook on nature: 1. Humans are members of the Earths community of life in the same sense and on the same terms as other living things. 2. The natural world is an interdependent system. 3. Each organism is a Teleological Center of Life (TCL) with a good of its own. 4. Humans are not inherently superior to other living things. Taylor believes that if one concedes and accepts the first three components then acceptanceRead MoreEthical Theory And The Classical And Modern Answers1181 Words   |  5 Pagesof human beings? This is the decisive fundamental question dealing with ethical theory. It brings into question what humans really are. Are we more like animals, or more rational, or something completely different? While the neutral definition of human beings is defined as rational animals, modern and classical philosophy have attempted to explore and answer the question more in depth. Modern philosophy states that human beings are simply higher animals. With the differences between humans andRead MoreSocrates : The Meaning Of Life1154 Words   |  5 Pageshow to live a good life. In other words, they want to know the meaning of life. Socrates was considered the father of ancient philosophy, and the wisest man in ancient Greece. Although he was eventually condemned for his wisdom, his spoken words are still listened to and followed today. Socrates believed that the purpose of life was both personal and spiritual growth. He establishes this conviction in what is arguably his most renowned statement: The unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates livedRead MoreAristotle Living a Human Life/Human Nature1638 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle Ââ€" Living a human life/human nature Aristotle was a man of philosophy, science, and mathematics. He used these three tools to explain what he thought the purpose of being a human being was, and just what being a human being entailed. To describe what a human being was, he came up with many theories, which involved friendship, happiness, and human nature. He also believed that not everyone was a perfect human, meaning, there were things an individual must do throughout his or her life to achieveRead MoreThe Issue Of Animal Cruelty1023 Words   |  5 PagesAll beings, â€Å"things†, and properties of life have a sole function and reason to be in existence. Everything must have an ends to itself rather than a means to another ends (Aristotle, 617-636). Aristotle examines the idea of function and purposefulness within the ten books of Nicomachean Ethics. Finding this ends to itself is how one can achieve the ultimate happiness. Aristotle discovers that if everything has an ends to itself, man too, must have an end. What does being a â€Å"person† really mean,Read MoreThe Means Of Being Happy Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction to Happiness 10 December 2016 The Means of Being Happy Human happiness would be more widespread if everyone were to know how to achieve it, and choose to achieve it. Happiness, and the act of being happy, is not complex, but more a long process meant for a good person. Many authors over generations have been curious as to obtaining happiness, but in today’s world these authors0 are associated with happiness in connection to material goods. The true happiness comes from within and around oneselfRead More What Is a Good Human Life and How Should It Be Lived? Essay1665 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is a good human life and how should it be lived? Introduction The ancient philosophers had put much emphasis on the constitution of the human life and the manner in which it should be lived. From Aristotle to Plato and Socrates, all these philosophers had different views concerning the manner in which people should live with themselves and with each other. The aim of this paper is to explore the views of these three philosophers and then analyze where they compare and contrast with each otherRead MoreThe Ethics For Respect For Nature1477 Words   |  6 Pages the good of a being, and the concept of inherent worth. The good of a being is applicable to â€Å"every organism, species population, and community of life† (Taylor 103). An entity has a good of its own if, â€Å"without reference to any other entity, it can be benefited or harmed† (Taylor 103). Simply stated, what is advantageous for an entity in the sense of â€Å"enhancing or preserving its life and well-being† is good for it (Taylor 103). What is disadvantageous for an entity in the sense of being â€Å"detrimentalRead MoreAristotle’s Theory of Virtue and Happiness1621 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle, his theory of a persons happiness and good morals is explained. I agree that a human’s goal in life is to be happy, and to live a good life but happiness and good do not come hand in hand. In this paper, I disagree with Aristotle’s proper function argument. The word happiness is a much broader term to Aristotle than what we think of. (Johnston, Para. F) By happiness he means successful, living a good life and physical well being. A fully happy life would include success for themselves, their

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Pharmaceutical Patents And Its Effects On Society - 995 Words

Everyone loves a good bad guy. It seems to make complex issues easier to deal with when there is a scapegoat defined. Disease kills many people on a daily basis all around the world. However, many people view the big drug companies as evil profiteers in the fight against disease, wielding patents to protect their profits rather than wielding medicine to combat disease. Medicines have been created to combat disease which greatly improves survival outcomes and daily quality of life. Many of the large pharmaceutical companies are responsible for inventing and manufacturing a majority of the medications that have had this positive impact on society. Although it may seem that many view pharmaceutical companies as profiteering from illness via patents, people world-wide benefit from the process, especially when generic production is authorized. This would never happen without the current model utilizing pharmaceutical patents. Patents give intellectual rights to a person or a group of people that invent something. Patents fuel innovation because they give a temporary monopoly to the inventor that received the patent. Otherwise, the originator of a product may not receive the credit, more specifically, the financial reward for creating something useful and sharing it with the world. This applies to medicine just as much as anything else. Pharmaceutical companies spend enormous amounts of time and treasure to research and develop new, effective and safe medications toShow MoreRelatedThe World Trade Organization and Intellectual Property Rights1108 Words   |  4 PagesRights (TRIPS) patent regime is the compulsory product patent protection for pharmaceutical inventions. In order to comply with the TRIPS obligation, India introduced product patent protection from 1 January 2005. In doing so, India in a way reinstated the patent regime, which is believed to favour the pharmaceutical Multinational Corporat ions (MNCs). While carrying out the amendment, Indian policy makers were confronted with two major concerns, viz. the future of the Indian pharmaceutical industry andRead MorePatents And Its Impact On The World1254 Words   |  6 Pageshundreds of years inventors have been able to obtain monopolies through patents for their innovations. A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by the government to an inventor for their privately owned innovation with an expiration of 20 years. This gives the patentee the right to legally withhold other human resources from the production, consumption, distribution and vending of their invention. In order to receive a patent, its application must include claims which define the invention as innovativeRead MoreSupply and Demand - Pharmaceutical Industry1042 Words   |  5 PagesSupply and Demand Ââ€" Pharmaceutical Industry In today s society, a large percentage of the population requires prescription drugs to treat injury or illness. In some cases, the need for drugs may be short term and in other cases, the drugs may be required for the remainder of an individual s life. In all cases, prescription drugs are not free; the individual or his or her insurance company pays. The type of drug and available substitutions generally drive the costs. In this paper, I will summarizeRead MoreBiotechnology in Malysia : Medicinal Patent Essay1161 Words   |  5 PagesIn Malaysia, pharmaceutical inventions in the form of products or process can be protected as patents upon meeting the patentability requirement and do not fall under statutory exceptions for non-patentable subject matters. The requirements for patentability of pharmaceutical inventions are that the invention must be new, involves an inventive step and it is industrially applicable. According to Biotechnology In Malaysia (2008), granted patents in the healthcare field are showing an increasing trendRead MorePharma Industry Analysis1714 Words   |  7 PagesThe Pharmaceutical Industry 1. Origins and Evolution The modern pharmaceutical industry is a highly competitive non-assembled1 global industry. Its origins can be traced back to the nascent chemical industry of the late nineteenth century in the Upper Rhine Valley near Basel, Switzerland when dyestuffs were found to have antiseptic properties. A host of modern pharmaceutical companies all started out as Rhine-based family dyestuff and chemical companies e.g. Hoffman-La Roche, Sandoz, Ciba-GeigyRead MoreThe Economic Relations Between The Common People And Revenue Gaining People1596 Words   |  7 Pagesopposite ends of a scale, one side is burdened with numerous problems and suffer economic inflictions continuously, while the other sides prospers and benefits, becoming even more powerful. Much like there being two sides to legal cases, the matter of patents and intellectual property is an issue that also garners the views of scholars and others. It is rarely that one would find both sides of an issue benefiting from the arrangement, verdict and outcome. In some cases, no party benefits because they bothRead MoreThe Patent Law Of Taiwan1269 Words   |  6 Pagesadapting the patent law in Taiwan, compared with what is done in India. These adjustments utilize the so-called â€Å"TRIPS flexibilities† embodied in the TRIPS Agreement (The Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property R ights), as Annex 1C of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (hereinafter the WTO) which came into effect in January, 1995. As a trade-off between promoting knowledge diffusion and exclusivity to use the knowledge, the patent system is partRead MoreMarketing And Advertising, Intellectual Property, And Regulation Of Product Safety1597 Words   |  7 Pagesstakeholders who affect or be affected by the organization’s performances, or policies are needed to analyze any issue spotted inside an organization, and their cooperation is important to resolve this issue. The stakeholders can be governments, societies, founders, higher management, capitals, employees, beneficiaries and customers (Schmeer, 1999). Ethical issues Analyzing relating to marketing and advertising, intellectual property, and regulation of product safety. This paper will examine violationsRead MoreIs $ Lyme Game $?1122 Words   |  5 Pages(Persistent) Lyme Disease†). However, according to the Infectious Disease Society of America s, (IDSA),1 guidelines, â€Å"no convincing biologic evidence† exists that chronic Lyme infections can remain in patients bodies after standard treatment (Wormser, et al., â€Å"The Clinical Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention of Lyme Disease, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, and Babesiosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America,†). Whether or not one subscribes to either of these viewsRead MoreCancer And The Cost Of Cancer Drugs Essay1343 Words   |  6 PagesDavid, MD, and Adam Elshaug, MD. Journal of Oncology Practice. High Cancer Drug Prices in the United States: Reasons and Proposed Solutions. American Society of Clinical Oncology, n.d. Web. 09 Feb. 2016. in the journal of oncology practice gives really good abstract and understanding on why cancer drugs are so high and why are the pharmaceutical companies have big impact on this situation. the article discuss why free market economy in the united state is about commodities, in this case a medication

Monday, December 9, 2019

Netscape’s Initial Public Offering free essay sample

Q1. Why has Netscape been successful to date? What is its strategy? How risky is its current competitive situation? Netscapes most successful product was the leading client software program that allowed individual PC users to exchange information and conduct business over the internet, being the most user-friendly version of similar products. Mid 1995, out of the 57million internet users, 8million were new that year. Internet was growing rapidly. Netscape set the industry standard with Netscape Navigator and managed to capture 75% of the market by Spring 1995 and was poised to make money by selling software to companies willing to make use of online marketing opportunities. However, this success carried some risks with it, too, according to us. Netscape Navigator, the companys most successful product, accounted for 65% of total revenues in Q2 2005. Server and integrated application software accounted for 28% of revenues in that quarter. Notwithstanding any other factors, deriving such a large share of your revenues from one product always carries a long-term risk with it. We will write a custom essay sample on Netscape’s Initial Public Offering or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Given that Spyglass Inc was Netscapes only real competitor in 1995 (and even competing on a different market), it is beyond doubt that Netscapes short term position in the market was excellent. However, with big giants such as Microsoft, America Online, and Progidy developing similar software and planning to enter the same market Netscape was engaging in on a 1 or 2 year term from 1995, one should have concluded that it was not very likely that Netscape would remain in its unique monopoly (or close to monopoly) position. It can be inferred from Exhibit 3 of the article that Microsoft and America Online had a far greater spending power than Netscape in 1995, adding to their chances of taking up market share in the near future. Q2. Value Netscape. Total Equity value 154,874,816.46 IPO Share price 30.97 Notes: 1. Considering the industry is in inception phase and there is a large growth potential, a growth rate from 1995 to 2005 of 15% is assumed. 2. Assume interest expense and income stay constant over time 3. When calculating the depreciation, the additional capital expenditure is also taken into consideration and is also depreciated on 10-year straight line basis Q3. How fast does Netscape have to grow on an annual basis over the next 10 years to justify the $28 offer price? Under the same assumption in Q2, the growth rate should be 11.09% over the next 10 years to justify the $28 offer price (using solver). Q4. What sources of capital other than the public equity markets could be tapped to satisfy these capital needs? -When a private company decides to raise outside equity capital, it can seek funding from several potential sources: angel investors, venture capital firms, private equity firms, institutional investors and corporate investors. Netscape already has : Jim Clark as Angel Investor Adobe and five other media companies as Corporate Investors and Kleiner Perkins as Venture Capital Firm So, it can go to Private Equity Firms and Institutional Investors before raising public equity. Another possibility is a Joint venture with a competitor. Q5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of public ownership? Advantages Better access to Capital Greater Liquidity Visibility Disadvantages Equity holders become more widely dispersed, making it difficult to monitor management Firms must satisfy all legal and regulatory requirements (e.g. SEC filings, SOX etc.) which is costly and time-consuming. Q6. Why are many IPOs underpriced? -A naive view would be that issuers have no choice because a relatively small number of underwriters control the market. -The more commonly accepted explanation is referred to as the winners curse. The winners curse describes the effect that rationed allocation of shares for each investor has on pricing. When an IPO goes well, the demand for the stock exceeds the supply, thus allocation of shares is rationed. However, if an IPO does not go well, demand at the issue price is weak, so all initial orders are filled completely. So you only get all the shares you demanded, if the IPO is more likely to perform poorly, and you get only part of your order if the IPO went well. This effect implies that it may be necessary for the underwriter to underprice its issues on average in order for less informed investors to be willing to participate in IPOs.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Assignment of training and development Essay Example

Assignment of training and development Essay This paper deals with a comparative study on the issue of training and development for several leading pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh. This study is based on primary data (questionnaire survey) and descriptive statistical tools have been used for analysis. The study covers critical analysis of few training and development parameters, like, need assessment, availability of training materials, resource persons, priorities Of training program, training budget etc. The analysis of the study shows that Glaxo SmithKline Bangladesh Limited is in a better position than any other leading harmaceutical companies in Bangladesh on the issue of training and development. Introduction In any organization training is nothing but a means of survival in an extremely competitive and rapidly changing environment . Staffs are the key factor and determine the success of any large-scale project. The importance of this factor cannot be overemphasized for innovation or the widening of horizons. All m easures to promote training are deliberately multifaceted and should form part of an ongoing process. The extreme usefulness of equal opportunities training should not be ignored since it brings to a firm a new outlook and enthusiasm.Several evaluations have had an impact on training in the last decade. Technological evaluations, social and political changes and the internationalization of markets are rendering organizational management and planning increasingly difficult. Change and evolution go hand in hand with uncertainty, the inability to plan and unpredictability. Training ensures that a workforce has the ability to reach and maintain a leading Position: equal opportunities training ensure that employee and organizational status is continuously enhanced and not held back by discriminatory forces. H. Collins, 2001). As a very important aspect of HRM, it has been tried in this study to focus different features of Training and Development programs of GSK Bangladesh Limited. For t he study this comparison part belongs to: 1) To get an overview regarding the effectiveness of training and development of GSK in comparison With other pharmaceutical companies; 2) To determine the strengths and weaknesses of training and development programs of GSK in comparison to other companies. 3) To determine the standards of training programs of GSK in comparison ith other related companies. Another important aspect of this study is that in this study comparison between the training and development programs of a multinational company with a local company and also with a multinational, company have conducted so that the scenario of these companies regarding training and development can be found out and what arc the similarities and differences between these companies in this field that can also determined. So, for this reasons these three companies have been chosen. Objective The main objectives of this study are as follows: To get idea about the necessity of training and deve lopment programs of any company. †¢ To have a contemporary picture focusing the training and development programs GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh Limited and in other two companies. †¢ To make comparison among the training programs of different pharmaceutical companies. †¢ To identify any shortcoming in the training and development programs of GlaxoStnithKlinr Bangladesh Limited. †¢ To recommend some points minimizing the shortcomings of the training and development, programs of GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh Ltd. Literature ReviewTraining is the formal procedure which a company uses to facilitate employees learning so that their resultant behavior contributes to the attainment of the companys goals and objectives. (Mc Gehee Thayer, 1964). Many authors defined training in different views or aspects. Such definitions are many but quite sufficient to reveal the important characteristics of training. There are many definitions but all that they mean is to cover a wide range of subject under the term training. And such definition may safely be used to define a number of other terms, namely, education, learning, personnel development, instruction and so on.Thus these definitions lead to some vague motions about the term and task the required degree of specification Training is a hallmark of good management, and task managers overlook at their peril. Training refers to the methods used to give new or present employees the skills they need to perform their jobs. ( Gary Dessler, 2003). The use of the terms training development in todays employment setting is for more appropriate than training alone since human resource can exert their full potential only when the learning process goes for beyond simple routine, (Dale Yoder, 1970). Training is more inclusive than it used to be Training used to focus mostly on teaching technical skills, such as training assemblers to solder wires teachers to write lesson plans. (Carolyn Wiley, 1993) Training involves a seri es of planned, goal directed activities. This implies that training imparts these, knowledge, skill and attitudes in the trainee which are identified through needs analysis to be relevant for improving job performance. Training aims at changing the knowledge, skill and attitudes of the person that his/ her job performance is improved in the pre determined direction.Thus training involves two steps objectives to bring about the desired changed in the level of knowledge, skills and attitudes of the employee and the ultimate objective to improve the level of the job performance of the trainees. Timing outcomes are measurable. This stems from the first characteristics which states that training is a planed activity. Since training program has organized to achieve certain predetermined objectives, a systematic evaluation is possible to be carried out to assess the extent of success or failure of the program and also to know for sure the factors responsible for such outcomes.Training invo lves learning process for bringing about the desired change in the employee behavior. Organization and individual should develop and progress simultaneously for their survival and attainment of mutual goals. So every modern management has to develop the organization through human resource development. Employee training is the important sub-system of human resource development. It is a specialized function and is one of the fundamental operative functions for human resources management. (P. Subba Rao, 1999). Task analysis and performance analysis are two main ways to identify training needs.Task analysis is specially suitable for the determining the needs of employees who are new to their jobs. Performance analysis appraises the performance of current employees to determine whether training could reduce problems like excess scrap or low output. Supplementary methods used to identify training needs include supervisors reports, personnel records, management requests, observations, test s of job knowledge, and questionnaire surveys. (B. A. Bass et al. , 1978) Methodology The study is based on both secondary and primary data.Secondary Data Collection The main sources of secondary data were annual reports of different pharmaceuticals companies. Internet websites of different leading pharmaceuticals companies in Bangladesh, like Beximco, Novartis etc. were used as sources of secondary data. Primary Data Collection Primary data have been collected through formal interview and informal interview. Formal interviews were conducted through questionnaire survey. The questionnaire comprised of open ended, close ended and Likert scale questions, but majority was close ended questions.Pre-testing of the questionnaire was conducted by consulting with training manager of GSK. After proper pre-testing, the final questionnaire was prepared. Proper attention was given for typing, pre-coding and printing of questionnaire to make the questionnaire user friendly. The face to face inte rviews through the questionnaire were conducted during the period of November06 to February07 to 50 respondents of the following organizations: †¢Glaxo SmithKline Bangladesh Limited †¢Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited †¢Novartis Limited Data AnalysisData were collected from various sources have been analyzed properly. Statistical tools have been used for this analysis. MS Excel and SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) were used for data analysis. After summarizing the data, results have been presented through graphical and tabular forms. Limitations The following limitations have been faced while conducting the research. 1) HRM studies are done through a longer period of time in which observation is very important, but this research mainly relied on questionnaire survey. ) The training and development programs run in corporate head offices of GSK Bangladesh Limited and other pharmaceuticals companies have been focused in the study. But field offices related org anizations have not been considered for the study. Comparative Analysis of Training and Development Programs The comparative analysis of training and development among different pharmaceutical companies has been conducted through the following criteria: Conducting Formal Training and Development ProgramA questionnaire was selected to find out whether targeted pharmaceuticals companies including GSK and others conduct any formal training program or not? The study shows that 100% of the respondent companies conduct formal training and development programs (Figure 1) [pic] Figure No 1: Conducting Formal Training Program Need Assessment of Training Program One of the objective of the study was to find out the tools and techniques used in different pharmaceutical companies to assess the need for giving training to their employees. The findings of this objective are shown in Table No. 1. Table 1: Assessing Techniques for Training Need Assessing Techniques for Training Need |GSK |BPL |Nova rtis | |Need Analysis | | | | |Performance Appraisal | | | | |Departmental Recommendation | | |- | |Service HistoryReport | |- |- | |Individual’s Need | | |- | Availability of Resource Person The questionnaire was designed to find out the availability of resource persons for conducting necessary training to the targeted pharmaceutical companies. Study shows that all the lending pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh have necessary resource persons for fulfilling their training demands (Table 2 and Figure 2).Table 2: Availability of Training of the Survey |Availability of Training Personnel |Frequency |Percentage | |Yes |4 |100 | |No |0 |0 | |Total |4 |100 | pic] Figure 2: Availability of Resource Person Types of Training Program The study also aims to find out different types of training programs conducted by the targeted pharmaceutical companies and the result has been shown by Table 3. Table 3: Type of Training Programs Types of Training Programs |GSK |BPL |Novartis | |Over seas Training | | | | |In-house Training but Outside Locality | |- | | |External Training Arranged by the Company | | | |It has been found that GSK and Novartis conduct all types of training programs, whereas BPL has no in house training programs arranged in the outside of the locality. Training Materials One of the objectives of the study was to find out different types of training materials used by leading pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh during training programs. Table 4 indicates the result of this objective. Table 4: Training Materials Training Materials |GSK |BPL |Novartis | |Multimedia | | | | |Books and Journals | |- |- | |White-board Marker | | | | |Over Head Projector | | | | The study shows that GSK uses most of the training materials than any other companies. Abroad Training The study shows that GSK and BPL send their employees for training in abroad, but Novartis prefers for participating their employees for home training programs (Table 5) Table 5: Facility for t he Employees for Higher Education Sending Employees Abroad for Training |GSK |BPL |Novartis | |Yes | | | | |No | | | | Priorities of Training Programs Eight priorities have been selected for training programs of GSK, BPL and Novartis. These priorities are: sales target, employees’ motivation, employees’ need, technology know how, employees’ behavior, new product, upgrading employees, skills and orientation program.Table 6 and Figure 3 show the priorities of training program of leading pharmaceuticals companies of Bangladesh. Table 6: Priorities of Training Program |Factors |GSK |BPL |Novartis | |Sales Target |100% |50% |75% | |Employees’ Motivation |100% |50% |75% | |Employees’ Need |75% |75% |100% | |Technology Know How 75% |75% |100% | |Employees’ Behavior |75% |50% |75% | |New Product |100% |75% |75% | |Upgrading Employees’ Skills |100% |75% |100% | |Orientation |100% |50% |50% | [pic]Figure 3: Priorities of Training Program Traini ng Budget It is unlikely that the training budget of GSK and Novartis are decreasing with respect of time and the study shows that the training budget for BPL has been increased significantly for last few years (Table 7). Table 7: Allocated Budget for Training and Development |Name of the Company |Allocated Training Budget (Tk. In lac) | | |2003 |2004 |2005 | |GSK |10. |12 |10 | |BPL |1 |3. 5 |5 | |Novartis |10. 25 |10. 5 |10 | Training Participated by Individuals One of the main studies of individuals was to find out the approximate amount of experienced by individuals. The study shows that 45% of the employees participated less than 10 training program which is followed by 15 to 20 training program that is 323%. Table 8: Number of training program participated by individuals Number of training |Percentage | |20 |11% | |Total |100% | Evaluation of Training Personnel One of the questionnaires of the study was designed to evaluate the quality of tanning personnel. Six parameters have been selected for this purpose and these are: encouraging two way interaction, punctuality, and ability to explain the objective clearly, time convenience (duration to complete), ability to make the subject matter clear and ability to make the session interesting. Table 9: Evaluation of Training Personnel Parameters |Strongly Satisfied |Satisfied (%) |Not Satisfied (%) |No Comments | | |(%) | | | | |Encouraging two way |30% |44. 44% |11. 11% |11. 11% | |interaction | | | | | |Ability to explain the |44. 44% |33. 33% |11. 11% |11. 11% | |objective clearly | | | | | |Time convenience (Duration|11. 11% |44. 44% |33. 33% |11. 11% |to complete) | | | | | |Ability to make the |44. 44% |44. 44% |0% |11. 11% | |subject matter clear | | | | | |Ability to make the |11. 11% |55. 55% |22. 22% | | |session interesting | | | | | | | | | |11. 11% | |Punctuality |22. 22% |33. 33% |33. 3% |11. 11% | Training Materials and Environment The study shows that about 55. 55% respondents are satisfied abou t training materials and 66. 66% respondents are satisfied about the training environment, but 66. 665 respondents are not satisfies about trainer for the training programs conducted by leading pharmaceuticals companies in Bangladesh. Table 10: Training Materials and Environment |Standard |Satisfied |Not Satisfied |No comments | |Training materials |55. 55% |33. 33% |11. 1% | |Training environment |66. 66% |22. 22% |11. 11% | |Trainer |22. 22% |66. 66% |11. 11% | |Duration of Training |22. 22% |66. 66% |11. 11% | |Training rooms |44. 44% |44. 44% |11. 11% | Observations and Lessons Learnt The followings are the Observations and lessons learnt from the study: 1.GSK conducts a good number of in-house and external training and development program each year and also arranges overseas trainings for their potential employees. Both Beximco and Novarties also conduct these types of program. 2. The Training and Development Divisions under HR Department of GSK use highly sophisticated tools t o analyze training needs than other pharmaceuticals companies like Beximco pharma and Novartis Bangladesh Ltd. 3. Many reputed pharmaceuticals companies expert GSK do not have skilled training resource personall. GSK uses extremely technical advanced equipment and materials for training purpose. 4. GSK often sends their employees abroad for training or workshop or for higher education. Beximco and Novartis have this practice also. 5.GSK recognizes a huge expense for training and development purpose each year. 6. GSK allows their employees to ask questions and queries but for some limitation including time constraints employees of GSK are not willing to ask questions during the training session. 7. Employees of GSK are almost satisfied with the current training and development programs but some are found to be less satisfied with the trainer and duration of training. These factors should be taken care of. Conclusions All the companies both domestic and multinational are very much con scious about the development of their human resource and so far that each and every company understands the importance of training and development.Every company wants to utilize their human resources in a very effective way and do so every company is given emphasis on training and development program. Comparing with the other two renowned domestic and multinational companies it has been already found that GSK is one step a head than others. And as the goal of GSK is to be indisputable leader in the field of world pharmaceuticals companies. To achieve this goal GSK has to develop a global set up for each operation country office with local companies. Keeping the target in mind GSK realizes the indispensable need of training. This is the reason for developing training and development program.They give tremendous effort to make this division a stronger and constructive unit and by this process it will continue its journey and increase its reputation, goodwill and corporate image in the business world. Training and Development in the Pharmaceutical Sector [DRAFT] |Towhidul Haque Roni |093 0489 060 | |Intakhab Alam Talukdar |112 1087 660 | |Kaniz Khadiza |083 204 060 | 2012 Group -K 29-Mar-12

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Need Motivation Enter a Writing Contest

Need Motivation Enter a Writing Contest The most assiduous writer comes face to face with writers block occasionally. The hand tires of embellishing the 59th promotional copy for Kirks Paving and Tiling Solutions Ltd, the soul wearies of deconstructing the 16th time Joe Hero battles sundry demons. Creative juices dry up, creative muses leave the building, inspiration imitates a certain 1985 DeLorean and vanishes in a puff of smoke, leaving behind only the dusty smoldering ashes of a burned-out freelancer or novelist. So you seek a jump-start. Because you are a writer, and write you must. Disregard everything vague youve ever heard about writing competitions. Oh, tts just a lottery . . . mumble . . . Â  mumble . . . What? Dont let the fear of scams and swindlers hold you back. Not all contests are created the same. As long as youve done your homework Here are seven solid reasons why participating in a writing contest could be the smartest move you make for your freelance career this year: 1. That winning feeling . . . is such a confidence booster! The high you get when your work is acknowledged to be better than others is a kick like no other. Drugs couldnt do it justice. Its like orgasming on words. Reluctant to approach that high-profile agent with your debut manuscript? To hell with hesitation! Drunk on your contest success, you can achieve anything. 2. The tangible benefits . . . include cold hard cash, certificates, trophies and merchandise. That fresh brew definitely smells and tastes better in your new winners coffee mug. 3. The reverberations . . . can range from a hooked agent and a baited publisher, to a public reading, a slew of interested offers of representation, an invitation to a residency, a place on a coveted workshop or course program, an interview on the local radio show, and ultimately a shiny new book on the shelf with your name on it. The effects of winning a contest can be far-reaching and long-lasting. That writers conference youve been requested to attend as a finalist? Guess who will be first in line to pitch their new book to a host of agents and publishers also in attendance? You, thats who. 4. The street cred . . . establishes your bonafides irrevocably. Call it platform or portfolio, you earn the title of serious writer. You increase readership, build relationships, gain prestige. A glowing testimonial from an impressed editor can add stars to your limelight. An eager advertiser keen to give you his dollars can raise your game to a whole new business stratosphere. More exposure equals more sales. 5. The practical advantages . . . are not far behind. Submitting exclusively to a contest at a time allows you to rest a piece, and review it with fresh eyes later and make improvements. Working under a tight deadline, to a strict word limit, can hone your self-editing skills to a fine razor-edge, allowing you to cull words and cauterize verbiage at a moments notice. Â  All that practice makes perfect. Save on hiring editing services much? 6. The feedback . . . from judges can be invaluable. You can revise a short story all the way into a novel. A well-analyzed critique from a respected and experienced doyen of the literary industry is worth its weight in entry fees. 7. The motivation . . . obligingly returns. Ideas come flocking back in droves when youre presented with a theme, prompt or topical challenge. Writers block, begone! So the next time you feel like putting up an Out of Order sign on your minds doorstep and fleeing the whole sorry scene, stop writing. Start competing instead.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Top 10 Business Writing Tips

Top 10 Business Writing Tips Like life itself, writing can sometimes be messy, frustrating, and  hard. But you can make your working life a little easier by  editing  with these principles in mind. Its simple: Whether youre writing a two-line email or a 10-page report, anticipate the needs of your readers and remember the four Cs: Be clear, concise, considerate, and correct. Use these 10 quick tips to learn  how: 1. Adopt the you attitude. This means looking at a topic from the point of view of your readers, emphasizing what they want or need to know. Example: I have requested that your order be sent out today.Revision: You will receive your order by Wednesday. 2. Focus on the real subject. Dont bury a key word by dropping it into a phrase following a weak subject. Example: The implementation of the new marketing campaign will begin on June 1.Revision: The new marketing campaign will begin on June 1. 3. Write actively, not passively. Wherever its appropriate, put your subject up front and make it do something. The active voice generally works better than the passive because its more direct, more concise, and easier to understand. (But not always.) Example: Your proposal was reviewed at our meeting on April 1, and it was immediately submitted to the developers.Revision: We reviewed your proposal on April 1 and immediately submitted it to the developers. 4. Cut unnecessary words and phrases. Wordy expressions may distract readers, so cut the clutter. Example:  I am writing this note because I want to thank you very much for organizing the open house that was held last Thursday.Revision: Thank you very much for organizing last Thursdays open house. 5. But dont leave out key words. To be clear as well as concise, we sometimes need to add a word or two. Example: The storage shed is the first step.Revision: Unlocking the storage shed is the first step. 6. And dont forget your manners. Heres where being considerate comes in. If you say please and thank you when talking with colleagues, include those words in your emails as well. Example: Send me the jargon report before you head home.Revision: Please send me the jargon report before you head home. 7. Avoid outdated expressions. Unless you enjoy sounding stuffy in print, stay away from words and phrases that are never used in conversation- attached herewith, this is to advise you, as per your request. Example: Attached herewith for your reference is a duplicated version of the aforementioned deed.Revision: I have enclosed a copy of the deed. 8. Put a cap on the vogue words and buzzwords. Trendy expressions tend to wear out their welcome fast. Ditto for corporate jargon. Do your best to write like a  human. Example: At the end of the day the bottom line is that we should facilitate opportunities for employees to provide input on best practices.Revision: Lets encourage people to make suggestions. 9. Unstack your modifiers. Stacking means piling up modifiers before a noun- the verbal equivalent of a traffic jam. Long noun strings may save a word or two, but they may also puzzle your readers. Example: Space telescope wide-field planetary camera instrument definition team ground based charged-couple-device camera (from New Scientist, cited by Matthew Lindsay Stevens in Subtleties of Scientific Style, 2007)Revision: Huh? 10. And, of course, proofread. Finally, theres correctness: always make sure you  check your work,  no matter how good you think youve gotten at the other Cs. Example:: When youre in a hurry, its very easy to leave words.Revision: When youre in a hurry, its very easy to leave out words.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sutainable operations - industry sector report Essay

Sutainable operations - industry sector report - Essay Example Therefore, in order to retain its reputation, it implemented varied types of sustainable operations. The industry of aviation is described as one of the fastest growing segment in the entire globe. It is mainly due to the rapid transformation that took place in this sector after liberalization. As a result, the number of passenger as well as cargo airlines increased both in domestic and international levels. This geared the revenue by $ 147.2 billions along with an annual growth of 3 percent in 2011 and 2012. Side by side, the profit margin of the airline industry also enhanced by $ 2.1 billions that helped in contributing a significant portion to the gross domestic product (GDP) and gross national product (GNP). So, aviation industry presented a significant impact over the economic condition of the country as compared to others. The aviation industry is one of the most innovative one that connects individual and countries from one place to another. However, inspite of such positive effects, it is facing varied types of challenges. All of them are mentioned below: Effect of green houses gases (GHG) - due to the emission of varied types of poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and other air polluting gases, traps the outgoing sources of energy emitting from the lower surface of the ground thereby increasing its temperature as a whole. Depletion of ozone layer - due to the emission of varied types of harmful gases, the level of ozone is depleting day by day to a significant extent. Due to which, the rate of harmful ultra-violet rays are entering into the surface of the earth thereby making presenting varied types of disorders within the human beings. Aircraft noise pollution- aircrafts are also a prime reason for generating huge rate of noises thereby disrupting the general live of the society

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Brain injiury Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Brain injiury - Essay Example Stroke- This one refers to the injury that occurs as a result of a vascular event. Traumatic injury- This refers to the damage that takes place when a force from the outside traumatically causes injury to the brain cells. Acquired injury- This is the last form of injury and it refers to one that takes place after birth not considering if it is traumatic or not. It also regardless to whether it has been caused by external or internal cause. Research shows that the number of people who are suffering from brain injury is high because there are those who live with this situation while there are those who sustain new injuries every year (Ayse, 2013, 25). Brain damage usually affects an individual emotionally, physically and behaviorally. Some of the causes of Brain injury include: Falls Bomb blast or a military attack Violence or a wound as a result of a gunshot. Accidents such as those involving motor vehicles Insufficient oxygen in the body Body inflammation There are various ways to kn ow an individual who is suffering from brain damage because there are some behavioral activities shown by them (Bickley, Hogan-Quigley ans Palm, 2012, 38). Some of the symptoms of brain damage therefore include: Difficult coordination of balance in the body Headaches Blurred vision in both eyes or a single one Changes in patterns of sleep Lack of bladder control Seizures These are some of the physical symptoms shown by individuals who are suffering from brain injury (Wilson, 2008, 56). Apart from these symptoms, there are emotional changes that are also revealed by individuals suffering from this injury. These symptoms include: Confusion Poor concentration Mood swings Communication troubles Attention span that is limited Changes in personality These are among many emotional changes that are seen in individuals who are suffering from brain damage. This project seeks to show how individuals suffering from brain injury are taken care of. In this case, the project will look at how a pat ient suffering from traumatic brain injury was taken care of and how he was provided with all the things necessary to help him get better with his situation. There are many things that have to be taken into consideration when taking care of a traumatic brain injury patient (Karlsson, 2013, 323). Traumatic Brain injury abbreviated as TBI is a health problem which is known to be a major one in the public. It is known to affects male adolescents and young adults who are in the age gap of 15 and 24. It is also a common health problem among the elderly people who are of 75 years and above. Young children who are below the age of 5 are also at a risk of suffering from this health problem. Having in mind that this patient was suffering from a traumatic brain injury, it is clear that it was an external cause that led to this damage. The level of this injury was mild because this patient was not able to experience he was suffering from this after some time. This gives a clear impression that the hit was not hard in that the patients was not able to realize that he was suffering from brain damage. While having a talk with the patient, we realized that these are some of the symptoms he had. Ringing in the eras, dizziness, bad taste in the mouth, confusion, headache and change in sleeping patterns (Vries, 2013, 38). These are actually some of the sympt

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Theory, Design, and Specification Essay Example for Free

Theory, Design, and Specification Essay The development and application of programs and projects are indeed complicated as they involved numerous aspects and concerns, critical challenges and problems in its procedures, and other hindrances that are likely to affect their effectiveness and relevance. To preserve the effectiveness of the relevance of the programs, the projects must carefully, strategically, and systematically planned and organize to ensure that all important concerns are addressed and covered to avoid complications and unexpected hindrances. In the premature stages of every project and program is the systematic organization and planning of its processes and procedures wherein the organizers expect likely problems, the value of the necessary elements, the approach that the program is to be applied, its actual relevance and others. Through taking in this course before the actual application promotes the success and effectiveness of the program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consider the case of establishing a certain social program that is concerned with providing healthcare assistance towards children that are out-of-school and are highly impoverished subjects. This program is founded based on the ideal vision of helping children through providing critically needed assistance in their healthcare needs, which are often negated due to certain financial and social hindrances. However, regardless of its ideal vision, this project also has its own shares of stumbling hindrances and problems, which are critical for its development and actual social application. Due to which, strategic and systematic planning and organizing are necessary to secure its relevance and success regarding its social value.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Considering the factors and elements involved in this social program, the plan regarding this social program is outlined under three concerns namely the theory behind the projects, the design of its operation, and the specifications and scope of its actual application. This program is mainly based on the view and realization with the importance of healthcare assistance for children, which is often negated due to their financial and social condition. Because healthcare is viewed also as a fundamental necessity for a healthy lifestyle and well-being especially for children, this gap needs to be fill with and this program will serve as a mean to provide this need. This program is aimed towards children as they have greater needs for health assistance due to their physical vulnerability in terms of developing a foundation for their healthy adulthood. Its design will particularly takes approaches such as founding healthcare personnel visits to targeted communities, supply of medicinal provisions and health supplements for children, awareness campaigns in targeted communities regarding the importance of healthy living and prevention of common problems and diseases, and assistance projects with the financial responsibilities involving children in healthcare institutions. Since the funding of this social campaign is not much of a problem, the establishment of the healthcare and the accreditation from various healthcare organization and institutions would be the main priorities. The main concern for this program will also include establishing a social link enabling this project to be aware of the its needing subjects and their needs and concerns. This social link or accreditation is also necessary, as this will serve as a mean for the program to be enacted in intervening and assisting its established subjects or targets. This steps and procedures are necessary to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness towards providing healthcare assistance towards its subjects. Through the application of these systematic procedures in the establishing and development of this project, this healthcare social program is likely to become successful in developing health awareness for children in their early stages of their respective lives and attracting wider efforts and concern from other social groups for the same cause. In addition, the systematic development of this program will surely promote its effectiveness towards its ideal purpose of highlighting the healthcare needs for the development of a healthy society in the future.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

drunken fool :: essays research papers

A Drunken Fool 1. INT. A BAR – NIGHT Sitting at a run-down smoky bar, TOM, a middle-aged photographer, while drunk tells a story to a off-screen character. TOM (Mumbling loudly) What’s my problem? I’ll tell you my problem. See, I work my ass off all day, I’m a photographer and a really shitty one. I can’t seem to do anything right even if I try my hardest. I let my nephew and his friends down. Tom takes a first shot, starting a line of empty shot glasses. Takes a long pause and starts talking again. Looks up and thinks. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  INT. 16th BIRTHDAY PARTY - DAY Camera changes to a dream state to our first glimpse of Tom talking to Brian at Brian’s Birthday party. TOM (Narration) See, I was at my nephews 16th birthday party and I was trying to impress him and his friends. I told them about my job, that I meet a lot of famous people and how good I have it. I told them I’ve met people like Madonna, Steve Gutenberg, Ol Dirty Bastard, and Arnold Schwarzennegger†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.ah fuck you know what I mean. Shot changes to Tom and Brian sitting at the party. TOM (talking to Brian) †¦..So you see, that’s what I do. I meet all sorts of people. BRIAN (impressed by story) So can my friend’s film you and me for our project. TOM Huh, yeah sure. But you have to get your uncle another beer. 3. EXT. CLOSES HIS TRUNK – DAY Tom takes a second shot and adds it beside the first empty shot glass. TOM (Narrating) Brian and his little friends decided to follow me around for the day filming my job and what I do. I got my first tip of the day from my friend Chuck, he told me the great batman himself Adam West was to be having lunch downtown. It was a great tip and was totally hush-hush. So I was on my way. Shot fades to Tom packing his truck and then closing it. The kids are playing around with the camera. Kids become disinterested with Tom and spot a hot woman walking by. The camera quickly pans to the woman walking by. BRIAN (to his friend) Quit it man.. pay attention. We need to be serious. The team arrives at a park. They get out of the car and grab their gear. Tom gets dressed in an outrageous costume. Having a hollow garbage can suspended around him and leaves in his hair he begins to wait. TOM (trying to regain their attention)

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Cause and Effect of Earthquakes Essay

The ground trembles, shakes and growls. Pictures that were once hanging so beautifully on the wall smash to the ground exploding into glittery slivers of broken glass, roadways break apart, engulfing whatever was in its path, never to be seen again. For many, this would seem to be the makings of a fictional horror movie created by Hollywood with intent to frighten a person and to play with ones senses. For those who live in the areas depicted by film, this is real life, all of the fear and terror of a shaking ground comes to life and people everywhere grab those that are most precious to them and scream â€Å"Earthquake!† According to Lisa Wald (2012), â€Å"an Earthquake is what happens when two blocks of Earth suddenly slip past one another.† Wald also says that the reason the earth shakes when there is an earthquake is â€Å"that the edges of the faults are stuck together, and the rest of the block is moving, the energy that would normally cause the blocks to slide past one another is being stored up. When the force of moving blocks finally overcomes the friction of the jagged edges of the fault and it unsticks, all that stored up energy is released.† Wald goes on further to suggest that this energy is then released into seismic waves, it is these waves that cause the Earth to shake. This shaking, while normal for the Earths development, can be fatal for those who live in it. The damage that is caused by an earthquake can be broken into three specific areas. These areas include the Emotional damage, physical damage and environmental damage. The emotional damage caused by loss is one of the more detrimental areas of concern for humans as they are the ones whose lives are so greatly affected by feeling. People generally tend to have a harder time accepting death if it is spontaneous (Hamilton health sciences, 2000). The grieving process is harder, last longer and is full of disbelief. When natural occurrences such as earthquakes happen, many individuals lose their lives in an instant. Whether it is due to power failure and medical equipment failing, the destruction of homes and buildings and being forced into the street facing other dangers such as wildlife or people with poor intentions, or becoming trapped under rubble from buildings or roadways that have been destroyed. This emotional damage caused makes it far more difficult for the survivors of the earthquakes to move past the tragedy quickly. It may take many hours of grievance counseling for these people to be functional members of society again, to move forward with their lives. Some people develop severe anxiety and fear that an earthquake will hit when they are least expecting it and begin refusing to leave their homes. On the other hand, some individuals feel such a sense of togetherness after loss from an earthquake, they quickly pull together to help other people deal with their losses, searching for those who may still be alive and even assisting with clean up and rebuilding of homes and businesses. They go on to looking for more ways to help their community in the time of need, and really do a great deal to help others get back on their feet. Physical damage is bound to happen to some extent during an earthquake, though architects and engineers are now looking at new ways to make buildings and homes more earthquake resistant for those who live in high quake areas, the cost of such engineering is incredibly costly and not everyone can afford such detail to construction. Many people’s homes, one moment standing proud and tall, end up reduced to rubbles of brick and mortar in a matter of seconds. Cars disappear into what was once a street or roadway never to be seen again. Businesses destroyed, too expensive to repair, force people into lives of poverty. Far too many individuals end up homeless and jobless from natural disasters without their loved ones or their most loved possessions, and have no ability to be able to start from scratch again. Many insurance companies will not cover the damage caused by natural disasters, especially if the property is in an area known to be high in a specific disaster such as earthquakes. If they were to offer this form of protection, it would be at a greater cost to allow a person to rebuild their home or business. In the event of a natural disaster, the consequences could be dire and the insured could be slapped with higher yearly fees and deductibles. A price not many people are prepared to pay with high incidents of poverty in the world. Another of the more detrimental effects of earthquakes is how the environment changes with every quake that occurs. The environment is obviously going to take the largest hit from an earthquake. Localized effects would include forest fires, mudslides, and landslides while greater effects can be felt on the other side of the planet with disasters such as tsunamis. The Asian countries have taken the hardest tolls due to earthquakes, with the largest tragedy being in 2004 when a tsunami that was developed out of a high-scaled earthquake in Sumatra. This tsunami assailed twelve countries, killed over two-hundred and twenty thousand people (Daniel Ten Kate & Berni Moestafa, 2012), and still continues to affect people eight years later. When a tsunami strikes, fatalities are guaranteed. People die by drowning, hypothermia, starvation, and rarely have time to escape their impending death or injury. Beautiful flowers and gardens can be lost forever, sacred tombs, and artifacts washed out to see. Landslides and mudslides may not sound as fatal as a tsunami, however; these occur when the earth shifts and vibrates and causes the land to shift and vibrate with it. Many areas that are high for landslide danger put up protective netting or boarding to prevent the danger of it affecting people in the community, but it is not always possible to contain. They can quickly bury homes and people with no chance of recovery. Fires can be caused by electrical wires being exposed and touching flammable debris, broken gas lines, and power lines and are almost impossible to extinguish with water mains being broken and dust and debris floating through the air feeding and fueling the fires. It is amazing that even a slight shift in the planet can cause such devastation in the world. The shifting of the Earth, while natural, can be fatal to so many objects in its path. Yet it is something that can occur without notice, even with monitoring. The emotional, physical, and environmental damage that can occur is devastating and many people are left homeless, with no income, family, or possessions. Left to fend for themselves in the streets, searching for a way out, attempting to avoid the dangerous wildlife or people they may encounter on their own. Many children cry for their parents, never to see them again. The effects of earthquakes can be greatly reduced if humanity would listen to the scientists or experts on natural disasters. By building more structurally sound buildings and preparing ourselves further for a disaster, we can all benefit from becoming safer during an earthquake. References http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/eqscience.php http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-11/indonesia-hit-by-8-7-magnitude-quake-tsunami-warnings-issued.html http://www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/documents/Patient%20Education/SuddenDeathPORTRAIT-th.pdf

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Is Affirmative Action Effective?

Is Affirmative Action Effective? The Declaration of Independence states â€Å"all men are created equal† (Declaration of Independence) and have certain unalienable rights that among these are â€Å"Life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness† (Declaration of Independence). Judging Americans by different standards does not honor this truth. In efforts to remedy the ills of segregation through Affirmative Action, the unintended consequences of this action have created another injustice. If men are created equal then they should be judged equally.Affirmative action is outdated and unconstitutional and it is time for a level playing field. Giving people opportunities based solely on race without the qualifications to succeed in a competitive environment is a major problem in today’s society. The SAT, the Standard Aptitude Test, â€Å"†¦merely measures differences in academic preparation†¦ [The] affirmative action policies [that they] seek to remedy are prima rily produced by â€Å"continuing disparities† in pre-collegiate academic achievements of blacks and white students.On those measures of merit that selective colleges use to decide who gets in, not all groups perform equally† (D’souza 266). Standardized tests are excellent predictors of academic capability, but, even with comparable test scores, evidence shows there simply may be natural differences between the races, similar to the assumption that whites naturally are not as athletic as blacks. America cannot deny opportunities to the people who are the most qualified and give them to someone who is less qualified but of the â€Å"right† skin color.This practice diminishes not only the achievement of the individual, but makes this country less productive than it could be. America is slowing down its’ competitiveness in the world and dumbing down the country. D’souza states that â€Å"†¦ admitting Hispanic and African American students with grade point averages of 3. 2 and SAT scores of 1100, while turning away White and Asian American applicants with GPAs of 4. 0 and SAT scores of 1300† (D’souza 265). In the NBA, more than three fourths of the league is African American. Many believe as stated previously that blacks are more athletic than whites.Demanding that the NBA draft more whites to achieve racial equality, even if they are much less athletic, is effectively the same as demanding that businesses hire less qualified workers based solely on race rather than their academic performance. Rewarding people based on race instead of hard work and intelligence encourages an entitlement mentality and creates a false sense of achievement. Granting people opportunities that they may not deserve creates a sense of entitlement and perpetuates stereotypes and the cycle of racism. Equal opportunity is essential to a healthy society.Everyone should be held to the same standard regardless of individual characteri stics that have nothing to do with intelligence, hard work, or creativity. The person most qualified deserves the opportunity. The original justification for affirmative action was to correct historical discrimination against blacks in the south. This justification has been exaggerated and expanded to apply to many classes of people who were never intended to be included. This wide application of affirmative action creates a form of reverse discrimination.The original purpose was to provide government intervention where blatant racism was present. As presently applied, each class has a different standard and set of remedies based on what ever injustice they believe they suffered. According to a 1991 commentary by Patrick Hall, an African American librarian, â€Å"the irony in all of this is that affirmative action and equal opportunity originally intended people to be judged on their qualifications as individuals without regard to race, sex, or age† ( Hall 311). Affirmative a ction now takes away from the key to success which is motivation.Hall suggests that â€Å"motivation, individual initiative, and perseverance can overcome the most the most abhorrent situations† (Hall 312). Instead of creating that motivation, affirmative action has discouraged the majority races that face the same adversity and has caused a tension between races because people who deserve an opportunity are being overlooked because they are white just to create a sense of diversity. Rather than a targeted corrective strategy, a case can be made that affirmative action has diminished some minorities’ drive to achieve prosperity in their lives.The key to successful affirmative action is to create individual initiative regardless of their race. Without this motivation, affirmative action is unfair and can become as destructive as the evil it was intended to correct. The biggest example of affirmative action’s place in the world today is its effect and role in coll ege admissions. These days, the main focus of universities and other educational institutions is to be or become as racially diverse as possible. However, with that being said â€Å"†¦ dequate racial diversity can’t be achieved without rejecting a certain number of more academically qualified white applicants in favor of preferred minority applicants† (Parks 146). In trying to create more equality in opportunity for minorities, the white population’s opportunities are then diminished. Instead of race, the privileges or assistance that comes along with affirmative action should be given to people based on factors that would actually affect their admissions. The policy should almost be used as bonus points for â€Å"†¦ ruly deserving students whose lower grade point average and SAT scores, correlate to overcoming poverty, a single-parent household, lack of English-language background, enrollment at an underperforming high school, a physical handicap or undiagnosed or untreated learning disability† (Parks 149). Growing up in or with a condition that is out of their control, affirmative action should be award to those who have problems that directly affect their education. Within the last century, African Americans have fought harsh battles for their civil rights.Back during Jim Crow law days, segregated schools allowed for differences in educational standards. The few schools that were provided helped some, but for the most part did little for the majority of blacks. This oppression â€Å"†¦ left a large gap in amount of wealth, educational attainment, and social status†¦ † (Young 14). The more the gap in attainment increased, the greater the gap in economic opportunity. Some African Americans view affirmative action policies as a form of pity. Because of past struggles and their assumed continuance â€Å"†¦ ffirmative action programs give blacks and other disadvantaged groups extra consideration when a pplying for admissions† (Young 14). Whites now feel â€Å"bad† about their past wrongdoings and are trying to make up for it by giving education as a handout. These policies anger many blacks because they want the same opportunity to show how far they have come and prove they are capable of being successful on their own without any special assistance. Even though most educational institutions are trying to increase their racially diverse appeal, most still favor whites over other minority races. With that being said â€Å"†¦ hites, whatever their status, can view themselves as entitled to privileges and priorities over blacks† (Bell 77). This in turn causes more tension between races because of the factor of competition. If schools based admissions solely on the information they are presented with, race and ethnicity aside, they could fairly base their rejection or acceptance and have it be justified. This would also help the competition tension because admi ssions would be based on their effort and achievements instead of something that is beyond their control. There are many different standards of education around the world.In order to make sure every student has the same chance of success, every school needs to if not at the same level, at least offer the same or similar courses. Many â€Å"†¦ recommend that courts should concentrate on enforcing genuine equality in education by requiring schools to conform to uniform standards â€Å"(Bell 76). This way every student has the access to these resources if need be. So students are judged on what they bring to the table, not on race or unchangeable characteristics. Most races are hurt by some of the practices or effects of affirmative action policies.Getting rid of race-based pickings, would help increase educational equality across the board and also increase economic opportunity. Unfair cruelty and underestimation is also presented upon Hispanics. The stereotypical view that man y Americans have on Hispanics is that their lack of education means that they have no worth to this country and that they should be given a job with just as poor worth as their stereotype gives the individual. â€Å"The preponderance of recent immigrants in unskilled and low-paying jobs as de facto proof that Americans refuse to do what is traditionally considered menial labor.As an result, some of the business community, supported by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, clamor for a liberal guest-worker program based upon the assumption that without one, America will face a long-term labor shortage and economic ruin† (Haugen 24). This shows how Americans actually refuse to do these types of jobs because they are viewed as unfavorable low-paying jobs. With the assumption that they are jobs well suited for these immigrants who do not have a proper educated background, when really, these are some of the most important and beneficial jobs to the country.This menial labor may not be th e ideal job, but without these jobs, or the Hispanics that occupy them, America would face a tremendous labor and economic downfall. Americans have not only underestimated the importance and power of menial labor, but also of Hispanics. Although these people may be unskilled and uneducated, they have been put in tougher situations where they must work harder than other Americans in order to survive. The severity of discrimination has been taken to a whole different level. â€Å"The prejudice, intimidation, and hatred of the†¦ riots were directed at Hispanics who had done nothing wrong† (Haugen 27).Hispanics have taken the role of America’s scapegoats and the reason for their problems when they have done nothing but come into the country looking for a better life for themselves. This view that Hispanics are worthless and incapable of succeeding in anything in spite of their race is unfair and insensible. Affirmative action was created to be a positive and beneficia l way of improving and enhancing the employment and educational opportunities of members in a minority, but quickly turned into an ongoing controversy filled with detriments from all point of views. This action has gone from helping the minorities, to denying races.There have been cases where students have been denied from colleges merely because of their race. â€Å"The court has ruled that a system of strict racial quotas, like denying someone because of their race, is unconstitutional, but that schools are allowed to use race as one of several factors when determining an applicant’s acceptance† (â€Å"Expanding Access to College for Disadvantaged Students† paragraph 3). Colleges aim for those certain percentages of each race in their school, but that does not mean that they should be able to turn hard working and deserving students away because of the color of their skin.Colleges have lost the true meaning of affirmative action, which is to give a boost to th e minorities, not push them away. Members of both majorities and minorities see this action as an unfair advantage. Many Whites view affirmative action â€Å"as giving an unfair advantage to racial minorities†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Expanding Access to College for Disadvantaged Students† paragraph 4) and many Blacks view the affirmative boosts as a gesture of pity towards them and take it offensively because they feel like they can pave a way for themselves without Whites doing it for them.On the other hand, many Hispanics see affirmative action as one more racial barrier that puts, yet, another stereotype on them that they are incapable of being a real benefit to a college, or the country in general (Marcovitz 27). Affirmative action needs to make its way back to its original purpose which is to give Hispanics a helping hand because of their lack of a proper education. Over the years, more and more people have witnessed affirmative action’s misfortunes and have worked t owards a resolution to this controversy.Instead of viewing Hispanic immigrants as a burden to public welfare, Americans need to desire a growing workforce and welcome them with the belief that America is a beacon for all diversities of races (Haugen 21). Many have come to the conclusion that Hispanics are just another group of people who are here to overpopulate and do not bring anything to the table to benefit our country, but the truth is, they benefit this country a great amount.By helping these immigrants have a better and new life in America, they can achieve great things for our country and introduce America into many new cultural aspects which can raise the nation to a whole new level. Throughout the revision process of affirmative action, critics have hypothesized new ways that will make more of a beneficial impact. â€Å"Critics also say they doubt that racial or economic diversity will really benefit colleges. Ideological differences are more helpful in achieving that goa l than differences in race or income†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (â€Å"Critics See Problems† paragraph 5).It has been predicted that ideological differences would be far more helpful in achieving the action's goals rather than segregating by race. Diversity by race in colleges will do nothing but cause more controversies in this issue, which is already a heated topic. By seeking out the differences of ideology rather than race, it will give colleges a background look at the persons’ political and economic beliefs and ideas instead of their race. Being able to see these ideological beliefs would be much more beneficial not only for the colleges, but for the country.Affirmative action violates the natural rights that have been given to Americans since the beginning of this great country. Judging students based off skin color takes away from the pursuit of happiness and creates an idea of inequality among races. Instead of just focusing on the person's race, but on the qualities and k nowledge a person actually attains, this country will move ahead faster socially, but economically as well. Works Cited â€Å"Affirmative Action. † Issues and Controversies on File: n. pag.Issues and Controversies. Facts on File News Services, 1 Sept. 1995. Web. 9 Feb. 2013. Bell, Derrick A. â€Å"Equality in Education is More Important than Integration. † Issues on Trial: Racial Discrimination. Ed. Mitchell Young. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomas Gale, 2007. 77. Print. D’souza, Dinesh. â€Å"A World Without Racial Preferences. † Taking sides: Clashing views on Controversial Issues in Race and Ethnicity. Ed. Raymond D’angelo and Herbert Douglas. Dubuque, Iowa: The McGraw- Hill Companies, Inc,2005. 265-270. Print.Hall, Patrick A. â€Å"Against our Best Interests: An Ambivalent View of Affirmative Action. † Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Race and Ethnicity. Ed. Raymond D’angelo and Herbert Douglas. Dubuque, Iowa: Th e McGraw- Hill Companies, Inc, 2005. 311-316. Print. Haugen, David. â€Å"How Does Illegal Immigration Impact America? † Illegal Immigration: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Davis Haugen and Susan Musser. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Print. Marcovitz, Hal. â€Å"Lancing the Boil of Racism. Race Relations: Gallup Major Trends and Events: The Pulse of Our Nation 1900 to the Present. Broomall, PA: Mason Crest Publishers, 2007. Print. Parks Jr. , A. Lee. â€Å"Race-Based College Admissions Violate Individual Rights. † Issues on Trial: Racial Discrimination. Ed. Mitchell Young. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomas Gale, 2006. 145-152. Print. 17 USC. Sec. 304. 2000. Print. Young, Mitchell. â€Å"New Challenges in a Diverse Society. † Issues on Trial: Racial Discrimination. Ed. Mitchell Young. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomas Gale, 2006. 14-15. Print.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Articles of Confederation Essays

The Articles of Confederation Essays The Articles of Confederation Essay The Articles of Confederation Essay The years 1776 to 1787 are often considered to be the most important and fateful when compared to all other epochs of American History: the now self-proclaimed Americans, having rebelled against royal authority, needed to develop a new system of government in order to survive. To accomplish such a feat, they needed a basis on which to establish this new authority. Established in autumn of 1777 and fully ratified in 1781, the Articles of Confederation was Just this. These documents, at best a primitive constitution, were formed to be the basis of the federal government. While erectly serving as such, the Articles of Confederation subjected the united States to a series of problems In both domestic and foreign respects. Increasing In adversity with each aching year, these documents only brought about one good effect: they showed the Americans that a weak and disorganized government like the one during the Articles reign could never work. Regarding structure, the Articles of Confederation, or simply Articles, were relatively bare-bones when compared to the complex constitutions and declarations of government other countries had. It laid out simple and ultimately primitive government: the power of the government was to Ill solely In Congress, a group of delegates from all states. It was to be Congress and only Congress to create laws and run most of the government. This concept did not work well in practice: Congress, the only branch of the government, was weak and unable to bring about policy change for the country. First, all amendments to the Articles required a unanimous vote of all thirteen states something that was quite rare and even the simplest of national laws required a two-thirds majority to be established. This became a major issue. As a new country, a lot of issues were going to come forth to Congress, and due to the bureaucratic rules that were In place, It was difficult for a treaty or policy to be approved. Furthermore, the Articles did not allow for a national judicial system or an executive branch of government to be established. These policies, reflecting the lack of trust and respect for the British courts and monarchs from American politicians, allowed for perpetual and incessant bickering to persist, and also did not give the nation a single, strong leader to trust in. It made the united States a weaker and less Just nation, something that was very much needed In Its Infancy. For these reasons, the Articles, while In effect, made It very difficult for Congress to make any laws or utilize even the slightest of powers. During the eight year period in which the articles dictated American government, many injustices, misdeeds, and problems came to face them on their home land. The Articles damaged the frail union of states, created economic depression, and establish a period of instability for the infant united States. The major problem with he Articles In this respect Is that It gave far too much power to the Individual states. Again reflecting a mistrust of central government the British Empire the states were given special abilities and powers that allowed them to control the face of politics. Eventually, this devolved into state of corruption, wherein the states disrespected the federal government and pursued their own, sole interests. Instead acting as one body of peoples and ideals, they chose to act as if they were still colonies, something that the Articles allowed for. A major issue this brought about deader tax, states such as Rhode Island, as seen in this letter to Congress, decried, it would be unequal in its operation, bearing hardest on the most commercial states. (Document A). Rhode Island, like many other states, believed that that by granting to Congress a power to collect moneys from the commerce of these states, indefinitely as to time and quantity, and for the expenditure of which they are not to be accountable to the states, they would become independent of their constituents; and so the proposed impost is repugnant to the liberty of the United States. Document A). Essentially, it was believed that by establishing a tax to be utilized by the Continental Congress, they would be acting too much like the British, and by doing this they surrender the liberty they had fought so valiantly to grasp. The issue in this is that the states did not have to submit this tax, and in a nod of disrespect to the government, they chose not to; Congress c ould only acquire funds by asking the states for it. By doing this, the states condemned Congress to criticism and debt, thus causing further chaos for the blossoming country. This lack of funds is indicated in a letter to George Washington, sent from a delegate from Virginia: Every class of public creditors must know the inability of Congress to pay their demands, unless furnished with the means by the several States, and the exertions of that body have not been lacking heretofore to obtain the means. (Document C). This not only shows the negative and weak connotation many Americans had for Congress, but also how much power the states truly had. Essentially, the federal government was not to be trusted unless a state was supporting its ambitions financially. As also shown in the letter sent from Joseph Jones to George Washington, another major problem was resulting from the lack of funding: One ground of discontent in the army, and on which they found the opinion that Justice is not intended to be done to them is the delay in complying with their requests for bonuses and back pay (Document C). The soldiers were becoming restless at Congress inability to compensate them for their valorous deeds. This discontent eventually sprouted into something far worse: a complete lack to properly maintain a standing army and navy. In a time where military strength means life or death, this policy was incredibly dangerous. They were only months out of a bloody war with military behemoth Britain, they had perpetual land disputes with mighty Spain, and were under constant threat of attack and annihilation from anyone and from anywhere. And yet, the states did not bother much with this lack of Army, again showing their disregard for the federal government. In fact, they set up and maintained their own militias, which they often utilized for their own self-interests and protection. Adding insult to injury, the Articles gave Congress no authority to interfere with these misdeeds, conflicts which they helped catalyst. Another major issue with the Articles of Confederation was that it did not allow for national intervention in commerce and economy. Being the young and capitalist nation that it was, the United States had issues keeping its trade in order; States would often fight for control of small trades, often going to extremes for a quick buck. Since Congress had no power over national trade, they could not stop this. Thus, trade, the primary source of income of all states, as stifled by these conflicts. States began to draft and establish their own trade policies, placing tariffs and restrictions at their own will. Gradually, commerce began fight tooth and nail for trade, shattering the sense of unwavering union the country had Just months before the Articles of Confederation were ratified. Inflation spread as part of this economic decay, since the value of state printed money, something that was legal under the Articles, decreased, and the federal note was not in use. In 1779, none other than aristocrat George Washington wrote to acting Congressional President John Jay stating that, that a wagon load of money will scarcely purchase a wagon load of provisions. (Wisped). Since Congress essentially had no power to tax, Mr.. Jay and Congress responded to these crises by begging nearly fifty million dollars in funds from the States. In this response, Mr.. Jay appealed that the funds were the price of liberty, the peace, and the safety of yourselves and posterity. (Wisped). The ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation become blatantly apparent upon examining domestic American history during its use. It proved to be both harmful and restricting to the Americans who desperately craved wealth, comfort of living, security, and land. The total lack of unity in addition to the weakness of the Army and Navy kept the American government under the Confederation from achieving much in respect to foreign policy. If anything, the United States was set back in attempts to attain respect and instill fear in other countries eyes. It became apparent to Congress soon after the revolution that the Government needed to conduct proper, effective, and authoritative foreign policy. As Thomas Jefferson puts it, There never will be money in the treasury till the Confederacy shows its teeth. The states must see the rod. (Wisped). However, even under this spirit of change and expansion, few positive changes in foreign relations occurred. The issue of most importance in foreign policy was the control of the Mississippi River and relations with colonial rivals Spain and Britain, who posed the biggest threat to American expansion and prosperity in the Midwest and beyond. However, the Articles of Confederation stifled these aspirations. A poorly supplied and practically non-existent Army and Navy, brought about by another weakness of the Articles, made it impossible to flaunt or use power as a means of forcing treaties or making others surrender. The lack of a properly unified country, also caused by other weaknesses of the Articles, made it hard for Americans to act together for one goal. Foreigners would have no reasons to respect them, and thus their wishes. For example, in 1785, the US Minister to the British Empire was ordered by John Jay to, insist that the United States be put, thou further delay, into possession of all the posts and territories within their limits, which are now held by British Garrisons. (Document D). However, the British had no incentive to bow down to theirs wishes: the Americans could not behave them militarily from the frontier posts on US soil, since they had neither the troops nor the funds to do so. John Jay understood this, and further instructed the Minister, Mimi will represent in strong terms the losses which many of our and also of their merchants will sustain if the former be unseasonably and immoderately pressed for he payment of debts contracted before the war. (Document D). Even still, the British did not leave the land they occupied. They did not respect American ideals and boundaries and also realized that Congress really has no way to make them leave whatsoever. Another major defeat in American foreign relations occurred in 1786 that access to the Mississippi River for Americans be denied, and that they should also give up some of its western territories. The Mississippi River was crucial as both a supply route of goods, money, and people to the Western Territories, but also a humbly of American progress, accomplishment, and hope. Although the treaty was never ratified due to its immense unpopularity, its introduction represented something more significant. It showed, as did the incident with the British forts, that the young nation that its carries with its name no respect, and that it needs to improve itself in order to be more effective as a nation in the colonial world it resides in. As time progressed and the weaknesses of the Articles became increasingly apparent, many American citizens were beginning to develop animosity for the infamous documents and rules that dictated how their Government was run. These ideas eventually morphed into actions, and citizens started to actively rebel against their government leaders and protest the misdeeds they believed their rulers were committing. In one particular case, populist and veteran of the Revolutionary War Daniel Shays led a powerful rebellion against the Massachusetts government, which he believed has highly unreasonable tax policies, reasons that ironically parallel those of the American Revolution. His rebellion, while largely effective at conveying is anger, was eventually suppressed, but only by a militia force of three-thousand men. However, it wasnt Just the poorer citizens who were distraught by the Articles of Confederation: John Jay, the Congressional President himself, was unhappy with the Articles. He expressed these emotions to his friend and colleague George Washington, where he revealed, I am uneasy and apprehensive; more so than during the war Yet I did firmly believe we should succeed, because I was convinced that Justice was with us. The case is now altered; we are going and doing wrong, and Hereford I look forward to evils and calamities.. What I fear most is, that the better kind of people.. Ill be lead by the insecurity of property, the loss of confidence in their rulers, and the want of public faith and rectitude, to consider the charms of liberty as imaginary and delusive. A state of fluctuation and uncertainty must disgust and alarm such men, and prepare their minds for almost any change they may promise them quiet and security (Document G). Suggesting its ineffectiveness, many Americans grew to protest and despise the Articles of Confederation, the sole item hat was holding them back as a nation. While the Articles were only in use for a short period of time, its effects were felt for years thereafter. It, while in effect, destroyed the loose union that Americans held, ravished the economy and the military, brought about protests which could have caused another revolution, and generally caused the US to lose respect in the eyes of the world. It was not only entirely ineffective, it was counter-intuitive. The founding fathers based the new country on principles of liberty, prosperity, and security, and yet, they created and deified a document that did Just the opposite of that; the Articles of Confederation provided Americans with a weak and ineffective government, the lack of both an army and a navy, and economic troubles as well. In essence, the Articles proved to be the exact opposite of the kind of government the people of the Revolution dreamed of. However, it was not until the 1787 at the Constitutional Convention, ten years after attempts were made to learn from the mistakes of the past, in turn rectifying them and starting the country over, anew and free from its troubled past.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Profile of the Roman Emperor Nero

Profile of the Roman Emperor Nero Nero was the last of the Julio-Claudians, that most important family of Rome that produced the first 5 emperors (Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero). Nero is famed for watching while Rome burned, then using the devastated area for his own luxurious palace, and then blaming the conflagration on the Christians, whom he persecuted. While his predecessor, Claudius, was accused of letting slaves guide his policy, Nero was accused of letting the women in his life, especially his mother, guide his. This wasnt considered an improvement. Family and Upbringing of Nero Nero Claudius Caesar (originally Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus) was the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger, sister of the future emperor Caligula, in Antium, on December 15, A.D. 37. Domitius died when Nero was 3. Caligula banished his sister, and so Nero grew up with his paternal aunt, Domitia Lepida, who chose a barber (tonsor) and a dancer (saltator) for Neros tutors. When Claudius became emperor after Caligula, Neros inheritance was returned, and when Claudius married Agrippina, a proper tutor, Seneca, was hired for young Nero. Neros Career Nero might have had a successful career as an entertainer, but that was not to be at least officially. Under Claudius, Nero pleaded cases in the forum and was given opportunities to ingratiate himself with the Roman people. When Claudius died, Nero was 17. He presented himself to the palace guard, who pronounced him emperor. Nero then went to the ​Senate, which gave him the appropriate imperial titles. As emperor, Nero served as consul 4 times. Compassionate Elements of Neros Reign Nero reduced heavy taxes and fees paid to informers. He gave salaries to impoverished senators. He introduced certain fire-preventing and fire-fighting innovations. Suetonius says Nero devised a method of forgery prevention. Nero also replaced public banquets with grain distribution. His response to people criticizing his artistic skills was mild. Some Charges Against Nero Some of Neros infamous acts, which led to rebellion in the provinces, included inflicting punishments on Christians (and blaming them for the devastating fire in Rome), sexual perversions, marauding and murdering Roman citizens, building the extravagant Domus Aurea Golden House, charging citizens with treason to confiscate their property, murdering his mother and aunt, and causing (or at least performing while watching) the burning of Rome. Nero gained notoriety for inappropriately performing. It is said that as he died, Nero lamented that the world was losing an artist. Death of Nero Nero committed suicide before he could be captured and flogged to death. Revolts in Gaul and Spain had promised to bring Neros reign to an end. Almost all his staff deserted him. Nero tried to kill himself, but required the assistance of his scribe, Epaphrodite, to stab himself in the neck. Nero died at the age of 32. Ancient Sources on Nero Tacitus describes the reign of Nero, but his Annals end before the last 2 years of Neros reign. Cassius Dio (LXI-LXIII) and Suetonius also provide biographies of Nero. Tacitus on Nero and the Fire Tacitus on the Modifications Nero Made to Building After the Fire of Rome (15.43)... The buildings themselves, to a certain height, were to be solidly constructed, without wooden beams, of stone from Gabii or Alba, that material being impervious to fire. And to provide that the water which individual license had illegally appropriated, might flow in greater abundance in several places for the public use, officers were appointed, and everyone was to have in the open court the means of stopping a fire. Every building, too, was to be enclosed by its own proper wall, not by one common to others. These changes which were liked for their utility, also added beauty to the new city. Some, however, thought that its old arrangement had been more conducive to health, inasmuch as the narrow streets with the elevation of the roofs were not equally penetrated by the suns heat, while now the open space, unsheltered by any shade, was scorched by a fiercer glow.​​ -Â  Annals of Tacitus Tacitus on Neros Blaming the Christians (15.44).... But all human efforts, all the lavish gifts of the emperor, and the propitiations of the gods, did not banish the sinister belief that the conflagration was the result of an order. Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mo ckery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car.​ -Â  Annals of Tacitus