Dentist Office Proposal Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dentist Office - Research Proposal Example This happens because the government posts a facility’s Medicare acceptance standing on medical assistance literature material and on government websites. The state government further offers free advertisements that attract patients to the healthcare facility (Ketler 49). This is considerably helpful in the foremost days of health care practice when the facility leaders need to strengthen their business practice in the community for them to remit meager business loans and debts from the medical school. There is an assured income source when a health care organization accepts Medicare. The state and federal governments jointly fund Medicaid social programs to avail services on a continual fashion. The government assures payment if the eligibility rule concerns a medical procedure that the organization’s medical practice prescribes (Sisks 52). The health care organization does not have to hunt the patient down in order to secure their income or adjusting treatment fees to make sure that the patient could afford or medical care. This offers security in the projection of anticipated revenues and enable the medical providers meet their monetary obligations. Joining Medicaid would ensure a positive economic impact on the business environment and the entire state economy. Through this, there would be augmented job opportunities, state and income tax revenue within the entire healthcare sector and more owing to the induced multiplier effect of expenditure (Sisks 54). Medicaid has an immensely competitive health insurance market in states that have accepted the social program. Joining such a program would immensely benefit the health care organization by placing it in a competitive community where people value, afford and procure health care, thus promoting good health and affluence in the community, state and the entire nation (Ketler 36). Demerits While the federal government’s departments and agencies assure payment for eligible Medicaid treatment s and procedures, such entities also take control over the recommended fees for such services. This means that medical practitioners do not have the mandate to determine their charges for clinical procedures on Medicaid patients (Russell 82). Apparently, this makes the health care provider a â€Å"middleman† between the government department remitting payments and the patient. The government may control and restrict standard charges, regardless of whether it seems inappropriate for the medical practitioner. The health care center plans to serve its community members, promote good health nationwide, generate income and serve every patient regardless of cost or complexity of reported diseases. However, the government is the chief dictator of medical services that health care practitioners ought to provide under Medicaid. This may push a practitioner to conform to the government’s prescribed course of medical care rather that treating the patient in the best way. A low-in come Medicaid patient may be unable to afford the cost of a definitive cure f the government has not prescribed it in the list of medical care available under the Medicaid social program (Sisks 51) The health care provider capacity is insufficient and may worsen in future. The contemporary provider capacity, especially the capacity of emergency departments, safety net providers and primary care

Media Censorship Essay Example for Free

Media Censorship Essay In this assignment I will be looking over whether or not the state and/or federal government have the right to censor what we watch, listen to or come in contact with looking more closely at video games and if they have the right to control censoring them according to the articles of confederation. The rights of the federal government and state governments have really nothing to do with them†¦ or should have nothing to do with them. I believe it should go back to what is the constitutional right of the people and what is the right of any government agency according to the constitution. Lets break down the constitution to its bare bones and there we will find the purpose of the government and their responsibilities. There are a lot of things in the constitution but you can break it down into just 6 parts. Form a more perfect union: the first colonies weren’t united when first arriving but soon found that there is strength in unity or being bound together to help each other like an alliance if you will, hence the constitution Establish justice: For a democratic union or government to work and thrive in must have justice within it. Provide for the common defense: A basic system of defense had to be established for defending ourselves against our enemies and foreign threats Secure blessings of liberty: We were built on the idea and principle of individual freedoms and liberty, but boundaries needed too be made to ensure that nobody would infringe on those rights, liberties or freedoms. Promote general welfare: This made the government provide systems and services that were for the public good or wellbeing. Insure domestic tranquility: Government must provide order within the people so there will and can be domestic peace. It also has to keep these people, who know nothing about living or being democratic, from going into anarchy. This says it all and I think can play a large role in our issues with censorship. In June of 2011 the Supreme Court took a stand on voting down California’s request to ban sales of all violent video games to minors. It was shot down 7-2. They turned it down because they said it violated the minor’s rights under the 1st and 14th amendments. In my opinion I think it would be very difficult for a state or even a federal government to control what is allowed to be seen and not seen especially when it comes to things like media and even more so in terms of video games. What I view as too violent isn’t going to be the same as what someone in congress might view as violent. That being said it is the governments job to ensure domestic tranquility. I think the bottom line is media is everywhere and if we censor things like video games and other sources of media to minors if they really want it they are going to get it be cause in this tech savvy world we live in if its illegal and u want it you’re going to find it.

Hemingway :: ESSAYS

Hemingway In one of the chapters in the book entitled â€Å"Hemingway† the author Leo Lania tries to explain Hemingway and his work. He explains that a key to understanding Hemingway can be found in the characters of his heroes and in their beliefs. The leading character â€Å"appears in various guises in the different novels and short stories but basically he is always the same type†(Lania8).Whether ordinary soldier or general, smuggler or gambler, Negro or journalist he is a man scarred by experience. He has always been gravely wounded, physically or mentally, either during the war, in the sports arena, during childhood, in fight for existence. At some time or other something terrible has happened to him and the memory persecutes him. Lania also explains that Hemmingway’s principal character is almost always an American from the Middle West. He is â€Å"no intellectual but his primitiveness is only a mask for his sensitivity. In order to master life he needs a moral code he can follow, a believe in certain rules by which to measure his behavior†(11). Neither books, reason nor religion can supply him with this belief. He needs to practical experience. Hemingway’s’ world is at war, â€Å"war either in the literal sense or the ruthless, brutal fight for existence†(11). In short stories Hemingway sums up his philosophy of life in one sentence: ‘A man can be destroyed but not defeated’ â€Å"the speaker is an old bullfighter who although overcomes, does not surrender and therefore proves the victor†(11). In another story a champion boxer provides a similar example. In his latest work, The Old Man and the Sea, the old Cuban fisherman triumphs through tenacity of his fight with the great fish, although in the end the sharks eat away his catch and deprive him of the reward for his indescribable sacrifice. This theme runs continuous through all of Hemingway’s works. â€Å"His outlook may be limited and incomplete, his conception of honor and heroes primitive, even childish†(12). The part played by women in Hemingway’s work is significant. That he handles sex without sentimentality that only strict moralists would hold against him. This was no t only part of his poetic license but also an important contribution to our knowledge us. Hemingway’s lovers â€Å"have nothing in common either spiritually or intellectually, nor do they seek it†(14). They are not partners they are not even enemies. Their relationship is therefore neither exalted nor tragic.

Reflection Essay -- Reflection Essay

The assignment instructed to be completed for my Dean’s Seminar class was a study plan. This plan organized my study habits and helped me with my time management. I learned valuable skills that I will incorporate into my daily routine. By sticking with this plan I will be able to see an improvement and progress in my work . I hope to use this template for the rest of my educational career.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many of the study skills that I learned have become integral in my study habits. I began to highlight my book for key works and phrases which help me organize the main points the book is articulating. I do not procrastinate as much as I did because I understand about doing my work when it is assigned will help give me free time. I go out to parties and social events only when I have completed all my assignments. Another organizational skill I use is typing up notes. This method helps reinforce the material from lecture and I am able to comprehend the material as I type it up. A valuable tip that I learned is to split up work so that it is not over consuming. I use this skill in all my areas such as reading a section of text every night. It helps in many aspects of studying. I make use of the my time and work diligently at my work. I make sure I am able to have a peaceful working environment where I can concentrate without outside distractions. I found the ideal place for this is the library. For English, I learned about the writing center which helps students...

Strategic Analysys of Toyota

INTRODUCTION In this fiercely aggressive business world, the goal of most firms is to establish distinctive or unique capabilities to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace through utilising the most of their core competencies. Competencies refer to the fundamental knowledge owned by the firm (knowledge, know-how, experience, innovation and unique information), and to be distinctive they are not confined to functional domains but cut across the firm and its organisational boundaries (2002). Today, business enterprises in developed countries operate in a more complicated, and more regulated, environment. The strategic task, then, is to create a distinctive way ahead, using whatever core competencies and resources at its disposal, against the background and influence of the environment. Through these distinctive capabilities the organisation seeks sustainable competitive advantage. Competition in many domestic and international markets appears to be entering a new phase, in which product quality and performance are becoming more important to customers than price. In such markets, the effective management of the new product development process is the essence of competitive advantage. Due to such changes, a review of the organisations’ strategic capabilities is a must if they are to keep up with the demands of the changing times. This paper analyses the strategic capabilities of Toyota Company in face of the ever-stiffening competition in the automotive industry, as a potential tool to further strengthen Toyota’s position in the automobile market. BRIEF TOYOTA BACKGROUND[1] Toyota Motor Corporation is a famous Japanese multinational corporation, and is considered the world’s second largest automaker of automobiles, trucks, buses, robots, and providing financial services ( 2007). Its founder is Kiichiro Toyoda, born in 1894, and the son of Sakichi Toyoda, who became popular as the inventor of the automatic loom. Kiichiro inherited the spirit of research and creation from his father, and devoted his entire life to the manufacture of cars. After many years of hard work, Kiichiro finally succeeded in his completion of the A1 prototype vehicle in 1935, which arked the beginning of the history of the Toyota Motor Corporation ( 2007). The first Type A Engine produced in 1934 was used in the first Model A1 passenger car in May 1935 and the G1 truck in August 1935, and led to the production of the Model AA passenger car in 1936. In addition to being famous with its cars, it still participates in the textile business and makes automatic looms that are now fully computerised, and electric sewing machines that are available in different parts of the world. It has several factories around the world, which serve to manufacture and assemble vehicles for local markets. The corporation’s factories are located in countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, Poland, France, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Turkey, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Despite the many locations of its factories, its headquarters is located in Toyota, Aichi, Japan (2007). It invests a great deal of time and effort in its research into cleaner-burning vehicles, such as promoting a Hybrid Synergy Drive and running a Hydrogen fuel cell in its vehicles (2007). It has significant market shares in developed countries, such as the United States, Europe, Africa and Australia, and has significant markets in South East Asian countries. Its brands include the Scion, its division in the United States, Guam and Puerto Rico, and the Lexus, which is Toyota’s luxury vehicle brand ( 2007). Aside from producing cars and other types of automobiles, such as SUVs and coasters, Toyota also, participate in rallying or racing. The company’s presence in Motorsport can be traced to the early 1970s, when Ove Andersson, a Swedish driver, drove for Toyota during the RAC Rally in Great Britain, and in succeeding years, Toyota Team Europe was formed ( 2007). Up to the present, Toyota cars are still being used in a variety of racing events in different countries around the world. These events include the CART in Vancouver, the Le Mans, the Indy Racing League, the NASCAR, and the Toyota F1 Series (2007). As the leader in the industry of automobile manufacture and production, the company adopts a philosophy in terms of its production system, which is named The Toyota Way. The company’s philosophy in production involves a list of fourteen principles that are implemented in the company, and serve as guides to the operation of the company. This includes the following principles: Base the company’s management decisions on a long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term goals; * Foster a continuous process flow to sight problems; * Utilise â€Å"pull† systems to prevent over-production; * Level out the workload of the workforce; * Build a culture that stops to fix problems, in order to get quality perfect at the first try; * Standardised tasks are the company’s foundation for its continuous improvement and the development of the employees; * Use visual control to let problems surface; Use reliable and tested technology, which serves both the people and the company’s processes; * Train leaders who understand the company’s work, live its philosophies, and share it to others; * Train and develop a workforce who follow the company’s philosophy; * Respect the work and responsibilities of partners and suppliers by challenging them and helping them improve; * Actually immersing one’s self to understand the situation; * Slow but sure decision-making through consensus, through considering a variety of options, and to implement decisions effectively and efficiently; and, * Becoming a learning business organisation through expression and continuous improvement ( 2007) With these principles, the company is guided in terms of its operations and production. Through these principles and philosophies, it can become efficient and effective in manufacturing its products, keeping in mind the welfa re of its employees, the image and brand of the company, and the satisfaction of its employees. PESTLE Analysis Currently, Toyota faces a need for accelerated investment, in order to deploy the new technologies, for pressing geo-political, economic, environmental and societal reasons. Political. Observers will see a continuing progression in the ruinous steps which have forced the industry into a socio-politico-economic corner. Whether this is related to flat demand or to the company’s creation of an ever-wider range of vehicles that many buyers seem to care little about, there is a problem. The company is likewise linked closely to the policies of governments, the earnings of banks. Little wonder then that so many emerging countries are keen to develop an auto sector or that there is such a political pressure to protect it in the developed countries. Toyota Company is currently dominated by little more than a handful of firms, each wielding colossal financial, emotional and political power. The company’s approach to dealing with political institutions has not always been brilliant. It tends to be good on technical issues, although it has not always fully presented the longer-term options, in order to make the choices and their implications clear. Economic. For much of the developed world, and increasingly for the developing world, Toyota Company is a pillar company in auto mobile business, a flag of economic progress. Without Toyota Company in automotive industry, it is impossible to develop an efficient steel business, a plastic industry or a glass sector – other central foundations of economic progress. The Toyota Company has been a core company, a unique economic phenomenon, which has dominated the twentieth century (2007). However, the automobile industry including the Toyota Company now suffers from a series of structural schisms and has become riddled with contradictions and economic discontinuities. For the capital markets and the finance sector, it has lost a lot of its significance, as a result of ever declining profits and stagnant sales. The proliferation of products means that it has become hopelessly wasteful of economic resources. While all these and more sound like a very gloomy assessment of such a vast economic phenomenon, the industry is not in the end despondent. A different future is possible for the industry, a highly desirable one. Social. As part of the development in automotive industry, the Toyota Company actually affects the society as a whole. It employs millions of people directly, tens of millions indirectly. Its products have transformed society, bringing undreamed-of levels of mobility, changing the ways people live and work (2007). The social value of the additional mobility that this industry brings involves the value of the people being able to commute over longer distances easily, among many others. For most of its existence the Toyota Company has been a model of social discipline and control and it is not just that the auto sector offers a ‘pillar’ of something else. There are, on the other hand, particular social issues to address in many developing countries, often those that are the result of an undertone of religious faith. Toyota company has the role to play in helping develop the mobility of such countries and it can be achieved at an acceptable social cost of the country is prepared to learn the necessary lessons from those who have traveled this route before it, and to make the necessary investments. Technological. The Toyota Company works on a scale so awesome and has an influence so vast that it is often difficult to see. The level and diversity of technologies that it must deploy are increasing, which imposes both new investment burdens and new uncertainties and risks (2007). Roughly a million new cars and trucks are built around the world each week – they are easily the most complex products of their kind to be mass-produced in such volumes. The industry uses manufacturing technology that is the cutting edge of science. But still, the potential for developing coordination skills, intellectual capabilities and emotional sensitivities through electronic technologies remain far from fully exploited. There are numerous additional near-term technological opportunities to adapt the company to changing energy availability. The possibilities suggest that automotive technology is unexpectedly robust and provides a powerful defence against energy starvation even if the real price of oil climbs steadily during the next couple of decades. Legal. Toyota Company is subject to numerous technical directives and regulations, as well as legislation of a more legal nature. The legislation covers areas such as competition law, intellectual property law, consumer protection and taxation, and emissions (air quality and fuels). When the auto parts industry reached full development, accelerated technological efforts were made to create a web of local suppliers that would make it possible to meet the growing legal requirements for the national integration of production. Environmental. Other than the vehicles themselves, and the roads and fuel needed to run them; the business is intricately tied to the manufacture of a wide range of components and the extraction of precious raw materials. Indirectly, it brings people road congestion, too many fatalities and a wave of other environmental troubles. The effect to the Toyota Company is that they needed to establish R&D centres to take advantage of research infrastructure and human capital, so that they can develop vehicle products locally to satisfy the requirements of the environmental and safety regulations more effectively. SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths. One of Toyota’s most potent strength is that they are one of the world’s best known brands (2007). As they have been in the business for several years now, the experience that they have in manufacturing cannot be overemphasised. They already have built a solid reputation for being a dependable automaker. Additionally, they have the strength of being diverse with respect to their product lines, having affiliated automotive brands including Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo, which allows clients to choose from a variety of car models to fit their lifestyle. They are also known to be supportive of societal causes, in particular the fight for breast cancer and support after the September 11 attacks in the U. S (â€Å"Toyota†, 2007). They pioneered the moving assembly line, which became their mechanism for making vehicles more efficiently and faster, therefore more affordable. Traditionally Toyota's international operations were a source of that allowed the company to maintain its position as the second largest auto maker in the world and to respond to GM's competitive moves. Weaknesses. The company's organisational structure has become inefficient as the company became more complex. This hindered Toyota's ability to manage its international network of subsidiaries, branches, and companies. The weakness of its organisational strategy reflects to the speculations over the likely performance of Toyota in the future, as the company’s financing section is swamped down by hefty outstanding debts. The firm is not in risk of bankruptcy, but the Toyota management is in a tight spot, and has to be extremely vigilant to not make it any tighter. There is also a notable management issues within the company. Finally, because of the increasing competition, the company has witnessed a decline in overall sales, a weakness on their part as they have somehow failed to overcome the challenges that additional competition brings. Opportunities. Toyota Motors Company has the distinct opportunity to have cleaner engine emissions, in alignment with their corporate responsibility to become environment-friendly. Through working with environmental groups to help clean the environment, they also have the opportunity to further enhance their image to the general public. Since they have already started investing in Solar Power, the end is a more viable prospect. Toyota could further widen the scope of their opportunities through specialising and rationalising its worldwide operations on a regional basis and to develop a network organisation in which its subsidiaries would increase their transnational linkages. Besides Toyota learning about the possibilities of producing quality automotive products in their areas of operation at a comparative cost advantage, other relevant factors could bring about new opportunities for exporting vehicles: the parent company's efficiency-seeking strategy; its competitive disadvantage in the small-car segment of the market and the competitors' moves in this market-segment; and the new more flexible regulations in the respective countries in which they have manufacturing plants. Further, with Toyota’s existing capability to innovate on automobiles, they have the opportunity to penetrate a still larger scope of market. Threats. As with any firm in the automotive industry, Toyota faces very tight competitive rivalry in the auto market. Competition is escalating, with the threat of new entrants continuously flowing into the market from South Korea, China and new plants in Eastern Europe (2007). Toyota is also exposed to the risk of movement in the price of raw materials such as steel, glass, rubber and fuel. The key economies in the US, Europe and the Pacific are also experiencing slow downs lately. These economic factors are latent threats for the company under analysis. Further, substitute products such as Natural gas, Electricity, Ethanol, Vegetable oil, Sunlight, Water poses a distinct threat to the sustainability of company sales. While Toyota strategies responded to the local opportunities and competitive advantages that were built over time in different national markets, the competitiveness of foreign operations was also dependent upon the company's management capabilities and its overall position in the industry worldwide. If such factors were to perform under expectation, their competitiveness in the international scene would suffer seriously (2007). RESOURCE AUDIT A resource is a basic element that a firm controls in order to best organise its operational processes. A resource, or set of resources, can be used to create competitive advantage (2002), that is why an audit of the resources of a firm is a must if it is to utilise them to create the latter. The sustainability of a company’s competitive advantage depends upon the ease with which the resources can be imitated or substituted (Peteraf, 1993). When resources are combined they can lead to the formation of competencies and capabilities ( 1990). Financial Resources. 2] Although Toyota Motor’s 2005 financial results showed a full-year net loss, the company still managed to come back in their expressive profits earning in 2007. As seen in the accounting ratios, the company managed to have an expressive positive change of 21. 4% in 200 6 against its low performance in 2005 with only 2. 9% of change. Table 1. Toyota Accounting Ratios Human Resources. [3] Toyota directly employs around 38,340 people in North America. It has made around $16. 8 billion in direct investments in North America. It has in total produced 14. 8 million vehicles, 2. 5 million vehicles sales (2005), 39. 2 million total vehicles sales, and purchased $26. billion worth of â€Å"parts, materials and components† as of December 2005 in North America. It has 1,745 North American dealers and has given around $301 million as philanthropy to the United States since 1991. Physical Resources. [4] To date, Toyota has factories all over the world, manufacturing or assembling vehicles for local markets, including the Corolla. Toyota has manufacturing or assembly plants in Japan, Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Poland, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Brazil, and more recently Pakistan, India, Argentina, Czech Republ ic, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Venezuela, and the Philippines. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS 1985) in his seminal work of value chain proposed it as a tool to identify and to analyse the origins of competitive advantages and suggested that the activities of the business could be grouped into two: primary and support activities. What activities a business undertakes is linked to achieving its competitive advantage, and Toyota seemed to be best prepared to implement a global strategy, because of the superior competitive advantages of its foreign operations compared with GM and Chrysler. Paradoxically, Toyota's rivals showed a greater disposition to use resources from outside of the United States. It was not until 1994 that Toyota focused on developing a global strategy as a means to enhance its competitive position in the industry. Before then, Toyota largely focused on building a strategy that would allow the company to recover its competitive position in its own home market, which was essential for survival. An analysis of the structural and institutional factors that shaped Toyota's strategic response both to the new industry rules and the short-term challenges posed by other industry competitors explains this paradox. A number of broad sustainability challenges set the context for all of the value chain activities (see appendix 1). These issues apply across the value chain: (1) Population growth; (2) Urbanisation; (3) Child mortality; (4) Maternal health; (5) Infectious diseases; (6) Biodiversity; (7) Loss of ecosystem services; (8) Poverty; (9) Education; and (10) Gender Equality. All these issues are attended to by the Toyota Motor Company in alignment with their efforts to maintain sustainable competitive advantage through preserving the good public image that their clients expect from them. CORE COMPETENCIES Toyota has several core competencies which they could utilise to further gain advantage over their competitors, and currently the company overtook General Motors in its market leadership in the automotive industry. One core competency of the company is their brand management. The strength of their automotive marketing has been such that their brand is known even in the parts of the world where cars are not the common medium of transportation. Another core competency is their supply chain management, which links to their ability to maintain a steady stream of raw materials coming in for production because of their long-term good standing with their steel, glass, plastic and other raw materials supplier. Their highly coordinated logistics system handled by outsourced firms also form part of their core competencies, leading to excellent inventory management and always on schedule production activities. Another marked core competency is their ability at the moving assembly line. Being the pioneer of such mass production system, they were able to get ahead of the competitors manufacturing processes-wise and were also able to save on costs and time. Yet another core competency is Toyota’s focusing on its product development technology under a single product-information-management program through standardising and incorporating them. If sustainable development is to achieve its potential, it must be integrated into the planning and measurement systems of business enterprises. And for that to happen, the concept must be articulated in terms that are familiar to business leaders. Many observers believe that more stakeholders — investors, consumers, nongovernmental organisations and others — will insist that companies to take environmental and social costs as seriously as they take purely financial costs. In addition, investors are expected to increasingly seek out sustainable companies and avoid firms with poor environmental performance, judging the sustainable companies as better risks over the long term. Likewise, consumers are expected to search for products that perform well environmentally. THE FUTURE OF TOYOTA (1982) observed that the automotive industry has been depended upon by other industrial sectors to provide them with means with which to optimise their investment capital because of the transfer of its technology, which basically means that the manufacturing and materials handling processes that revolve around mass auto production will be, in the future, far removed from their original use through consulting engineering firms that undertake to design and equip factories. The tendency for car manufacturers, then, will be to focus on competition that would become more rigorous, giving special attention to profit-gaining activities and concentrating also on arranging for financial, marketing and industrial cooperation among car makers. In the first three months of 2007, Toyota together with its half-owned subsidiary Daihatsu reported number one sales of 2. 348 million units. Toyota's brand sales had risen 9. 2% largely on demand for Corolla and Camry sedans. The difference in performance was largely attributed to surging demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. In November 2006, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas added a facility in San Antonio. [5] Toyota has experienced quality problems and was reproached by the Japanese Governement for its recall practices (2006). Toyota currently maintains over 16% of the US market share

The History of the Antidepressant Prozac

The History of the Antidepressant Prozac Prozac is the registered trademarked name for fluoxetine hydrochloride, one of the worlds most widely prescribed antidepressants. It was the first product in a major class of drugs for depression called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors- or SSRIs. The drugs history dates to the early 1970s when the role of serotonin in depression began to emerge, according to David T. Wong, K.W. Perry, and F.P. Bymaster, in their September 2005 article, The Discovery of Fluoxetine Hydrochloride (Prozac), published in the journal Nature Reviews: Drug Discovery. They add: These studies led to the discovery and development of the selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac; Eli Lilly), which was approved for the treatment of depression by the U.S. FDA in 1987. Prozac was first introduced to the U.S. market in January 1988 and  gained its most prescribed status within two years. The Invention of Prozac The story of Prozac began when biochemist Ray W. Fuller came to work at Eli Lilly in 1963, according to the Science History Institute: In his research Fuller had used rats treated with chloroamphetamine, which inhibited the production of serotonin, to measure the effects of other drugs on serotonin levels. Fuller believed that this method would forward research on brain chemistry. Two other scientists, Bryan Molloy and Wong- who coauthored the article previously mentioned in the introduction- joined Fuller in his work at Eli Lilly. In 1971 both Molloy and Wong attended a lecture on neurotransmission given by Solomon Snyder, a researcher from Johns Hopkins University, the institute notes. Snyder had ground up rat brains, separated out the nerve endings, and created an extract of nerve endings that worked in the same way as living nerve cells. Wong then used this technique to test the effects of various compounds, one of which was found to block the reuptake of serotonin with no side effects. The compound, fluoxetine, became the drug that was eventually named Prozac. Interestingly, Eli Lilly first tested Prozac as a treatment for high blood  pressure and then as an anti-obesity agent, noted Anna Moore in a 2007 article in The Guardian, a British newspaper. Eventually, after further studies by Fuller, Malloy, and Wong, Eli Lilly sought and received FDA approval (in December 1987) and the next month began to market Prozac as happiness in a blister pack, Moore noted. Skyrocketing Sales Sales of the drug took off: By the end of 1988, 2.5 million prescriptions for it were dispensed in America, according to Siddhartha Mukherjee in his article, Post-Prozac Nation: The Science and History of Treating Depression, published in The New York Times Magazine in April 2002, a year when the number of Prozac prescriptions had risen to more than 33 million annually. Though other antidepressants have taken over the top spots, Prozac was still the sixth-most popular such drug in the U.S. with 24.5 million annual prescriptions in 2015, according to Tim Hrenchir in his article, 10 Most-Prescribed Antidepressant Medications, published in July 2018 on NewsMax Health. How It Works Prozac works by increasing brain levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is thought to influence sleep, appetite, aggression, and mood. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry messages between nerve cells. They’re secreted by one cell and picked up by receptor proteins on the surface of another. A neurotransmitter is either destroyed or retrieved into the cell that made it after the message has been delivered. This process is known as reuptake.   The effect of serotonin is amplified when reuptake is inhibited. Although its  not entirely known why increasing neurotransmitter levels reduces the severity of a depression, it may be that increased levels of serotonin cause changes in the brains concentration of neurotransmitter-binding receptors. This might make the brain physically more capable of feeling good. Since its introduction in the U.S., Prozac has met with mixed reviews by scientists, patients, and doctors, and has provoked its share of debate. Controversy and Clinical Trials In her 1994 book  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Prozac Nation,†Ã‚  Elizabeth Wurtzel wrote of a nearly transcendental experience after she started taking the drug, moving from an absence of affect, absence of feeling, absence of response, absence of interest and a â€Å"suicidal reverie† to a generally blissful state. Indeed, Wurtzels book helped the antidepressant gain even greater popularity. Peter Kramer in his 1993 book, Listening to Prozac coined the term better than well in describing how patients felt after taking the drug. But others began to question the effectiveness of Prozac, such as psychologist Irving Kirsch who wrote an article in 1998 in the journal Prevention Treatment titled, â€Å"Listening to Prozac but Hearing Placebo,† where he argued that antidepressants, including Prozac, were much less effective than was generally believed. In 2010, he published a book with the same argument called â€Å"The Emperor’s New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth.† Clinical trials were conducted that both supported and questioned the efficacy of Prozac. For example, Jay C. Fournier, et al., in a 2010 article published in the JAMA, called Antidepressant Drug Effects and Depression Severity: A Patient-Level Meta-analysis, evaluated patient data from six trials and found that all antidepressants, including fluoxetine hydrochloride, exhibited minimal efficacy in mild to moderate depression. Conversely, in a 2009  systematic review of the literature, the National Institute of Care and Clinical Excellence found that strong evidence existed for the efficacy of SSRIs, including Prozac. Backlash and Continued Use PBS on the People and Discoveries section of its website notes that reports also emerged that some patients felt more suicidal when they were on Prozac. Other negative references to Prozac also began to emerge in society, PBS notes: Lawyers began to defend murder suspects by saying that whatever they did, it was under the influence of a drug Prozac. In all, there were backlashes against Prozac, and later backlashes against the backlashes. The drug eventually settled into the middle of the pack of antidepressants. As noted, Prozac is no longer the most prescribed antidepressant, but it continues to hold a place in the pharmacists formulary, as PBS describes it: It is today one of the dozen or so drugs in the U.S. that continue to be prescribed to millions for antidepression.

The Individual and Ethnicity Choice

The Individual and Ethnicity Choice Introduction Recent analysis of international affairs paints the picture that the world is embroiled in age-old ethnic conflicts. Proponents of this notion contend that people from different ethnic groups harbor deep hatred for one another, and are only restrained by modern civilizations.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Individual and Ethnicity Choice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They predict that, in the future, either the modern states will break up into smaller ethnic groupings or great civilizations will rise against each other (Gurr 43). However, the general agreement is that modern regional conflicts can be attributed to cultural differences and affective ties of tribal groupings. This notion does not foresee a situation where diverse people can coexist. In fact, most ethnic conflicts do not result from ethnic diversity; rather, these conflicts are often fueled by the struggle for power and sca rce resources such as land. This implies that in talking about ethnic conflicts, the assumption that ethnic identities are age-old and unchanging may be misleading. In other words, contrary to this assumption, ethnicity or race is a creation of contemporary politics that denies some people opportunities and gives others access to resources and power (Gurr 44). Cultural or religious differences have not, by themselves, resulted in ethnic conflict. Moreover, in modern times, culturally different people have learned one another’s cultural behaviors and have even intermarried, hence blurring contrasts between ethnic groupings. Contemporary Situation of Ethnic Conflicts In modern times, there is a common notion that ethnicity is age-old and often presents itself as ethnocentricism particularly in governance. In Eastern Europe, the current conflicts portray various ethnic groups as having strong nationalistic tendencies, which can only be suppressed by an autocratic government. In contrast, in the Western world, the American ‘melting pot’ suggests ethnicities are fast disintegrating while Eastern ethnicities must be suppressed by the autocratic leadership (Gurr 118). In former Yugoslavia, the Bosnians, Croats, and Serbs are different ethnic groupings, which, historically clashed from time to time over resources. However, due to intermarriages, the differences between these currently warring communities are actually so small. The Bosnians, Croats, and Serbs all speak Italian language and have coexisted in peace for a long time. Although these ethnic groups profess different religions-Serbs being mainly Orthodox, Croats being Roman Catholic and Bosnians being predominantly Muslim-still, each ethnic group comprises of considerable numbers of each religion. This, coupled with high rates of intermarriages, has blurred the differences between these groups.Advertising Looking for research paper on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, it is clear that the cause of the current Balkan wars is not fueled by ancient religious and ethnic differences, but rather by the contemporary politics, which rally individuals around nationalistic ideologies. In this regard, ‘ethnicity’ is packaged as ‘nationalism’ in the pretext of gaining access to resources, land, and power. The Serb and Croat leaders advocated for a right to self-rule in nation states. Serbs on their part wanted to expand outwards and include other ethnic groups (Horowitz 77). Croats on the other hand held a different nationalistic ideology, which promised to keep out non-Croats. In this view, different nationalistic ideologies are factors that fuelled the massacre of Serbs during the Second World War and in the 1990s. The Effect of Colonialism The origin of ethnic conflict in Eastern Europe is different from that of Africa. African violence is not fueled by conf licting ideologies, but rather by ancient warfare between tribes that was propagated by the colonial powers (Horowitz 51). Ethnic conflict in Africa can be defined by four factors, namely; membership ties in a group, prejudice towards non-members, fear, and expectations about resource allocation. Ethnicities produce affection for in-group members, where the members prefer their â€Å"own† and exclude or discriminate against non-members (Gurr 87). Often, discrimination arises because of these strong in-group ties and loyalty. Usually, people have a positive social relationship with in-group members. A close relationship exists between the positive feelings between co-ethnics and the prejudice or fear for ethnic strangers. According to Horowitz, â€Å"contemporary politics breed fear and prejudice, which ultimately determine political behavior,† (91). In contemporary politics, politicians often use fear and prejudice against ‘out groups’ when seeking support from members of their race or tribe. In the United States, whites predominantly hold a social aversion to participation of blacks in mainstream politics. This stems from learned racist practices in the south. Past voting trends in the US, white voting behavior reflect an aversion towards blacks. In the African case, ethnic conflict, in the political perspective, is a product of the struggle over power and resources. True, in earlier decades, Africans identified themselves with their ethnic identity, or lineage. However, as people migrate to far places seeking for employment and trade opportunities; ethnic or racial identity has become less important (American Anthropological Association Par. 8).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Individual and Ethnicity Choice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Now, the conflict is rarely caused by ethnic differences but a struggle for scarce resources such as land, water and pastoral land. The colonial system determined that each person belonged to a particular ethnic identity within the colony. This meant that each had to belong or show loyalty to a particular African group. This was not restricted to Africa: in India, the British Empire promoted the Hindu nationalism where people identified themselves as either Hindu or Sikh. This later transformed to distinct ‘ethnic groups’ after independence. Other cases include the Maronites in Lebanon, Moluccans in Dutch and Karens in Burma where colonial states created groupings, which they christened as either ethnic or religious groups. Nevertheless, in modern times, the need for political autonomy, resources, jobs, and better livelihoods has become the new frontier for ethnic conflicts. Thus, age-old tribal loyalties have become less significant as people strive to attain better socioeconomic status. Ethnic Diversity and Conflict It is often assumed that ethnic diversity is the cause of ethni c conflict and political instability. To the contrary, ethnic diversity has less to do with tribal or racial conflicts. In ethnically diverse countries such as Indonesia and Pakistan, less inter-ethnic conflicts have been experienced compared to countries such as Somalia, Yugoslavia, and Rwanda that are relatively less ethnically diverse (Glenny 78). This indicates that ethnic diversity does not breed ethnic conflicts, but rather relationships of people relative to power that cause local conflicts. A good example is Indonesia. Indonesia is known for its suppression of political activism in East Timor (Glenny 85). This cannot be classified as an ethnic conflict, as the country has over three hundred ethnic groupings with distinct language and religion. In fact, the recent ethnic conflict has much to do with the struggle for control of local resources, specifically oil and gas resources. Ethnic diversity can sometimes affect national integration in most nation states. However, some co untries often succeed in fostering national integration while others fail. It all depends on the social cohesion policies implemented. In countries such as Rwanda and Burundi, where one ethnic group has been dominating over the others, avoiding ethnic conflicts requires concerted efforts to enhance national healing and reconciliation (Horowitz 86). Often systems where one or two major groups polarize regional politics are less stable compared to systems where smaller groups have an equal chance to participate in national politics.Advertising Looking for research paper on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An example is Malaysia where politicians established an all-inclusive political coalition that strengthened ties between diverse ethnic groupings, i.e. the Chinese communities and Malay people. In contrast, in Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese people formed a government, which, however, split into two ethnic factions, Tamils and Sinhalese, resulted in ethnic conflict. Political systems can also be modified to accommodate diverse ethnic groups and prevent ethnic tensions. In Nigeria, for instance, after the Biafra war in 1965 a new political system that curved the country into 19 states comprising of the major ethnic groups, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, was implemented (Horowitz 119). The states comprised of multiethnic coalitions, which helped to foster cohesion and avoid ethnic tensions. However, competing political interests resulted to excessive fragmentations, and subsequently the recurrence of ethnic tensions. It is apparent that negative stereotypes, prejudice, and fear of members of other groups are effects of contemporary political choices made by leaders. Conclusion Contemporary ethnic conflicts are not based on ancient cultural or religious differences. In fact, studies have established that ethnic diversity does not necessarily lead to ethnic conflict. The competition for resources causes ethnic tension and violence. In addition, political choices made by the leaders often cause intergroup tensions. Hence, leaders who develop perverse nationalistic ideologies cultivate hatred, which eventually breeds ethnic violence. American Anthropological Association (AAA). â€Å"Statement on ‘Race’†. 17 May 1998. Web.9 Mar. 2013. https://www.americananthro.org/ConnectWithAAA/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=2583 Glenny, Misha. The Fall of Yugoslavia. New York: Penguin, 1992. Print. Gurr, Ted. Ethnic Conflict in World Politics. Boulder, Colo: Westview, 1994. Print. Horowitz, Donald. Ethnic Groups in conflict. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999. Print.

Interview a supervisor Example

Interview a supervisor Example Interview a supervisor – Essay Example Interview summary One piece of advice that the interviewee wanted to give to a new supervisor was to understand the culture of the organization firstbefore taking over the charge fully. Most of the times, supervisors tend to use the same skills that they have demonstrated in the previous settings and expect the subordinates to submit to them the same way that they did in those previous settings. In reality, the attitude of the subordinates differs from one organization to another and the fundamental element driving their behavior is the organizational culture. In order to be effective and influential in a new setting, it is imperative that a new supervisor first understands the organization’s history and studies its norms, values, principles, codes, and culture, and then use his/her learning gained from past experiences to supervise the subordinates in context of the new setting. Without a firm understanding of the culture of the new organization, a supervisor may not be able to achieve his/her goals. The interviewee’s favorite part of being a supervisor was the respect he gained from the subordinates. Since he is the supervisor, it automatically occurs to the subordinates that they have to respect him, consider him superior, and give importance to his views and opinions since that is the requirement of the job. The interviewee likes the fact that he has the confidence and support of his subordinates and they tend to follow the rules established by him. They listen to him when he tells them to be disciplined. The interviewee is particularly fascinated by the fact that he is able to resolve the interpersonal issues of the subordinates; when they cannot settle the matters themselves, they approach him and then he decides it for them. He likes the fact that they accept his decisions, and this shows that they respect him. The interviewee said that a supervisor cannot gain respect by imposing just his/her own views and opinions upon the subordinates all the time; he/she should h ear their stance and then do as he/she deems is right. The interviewee’s least favorite part of being a supervisor is the difficulty he experiences in drawing a line between being a supervisor and a human. As a supervisor, he needs to be very strict in order to make sure that the subordinates do the work in a timely manner and follow the standard of quality. To achieve this, he cannot compromise upon the principles; the subordinates have to arrive on time, they have to wear the personal protective equipment, they have to finish the work on time, and they have to abide by all the rules. However, as a human being, he feels guilty sometimes when he has to impose fines upon a subordinate for arriving late as per the organization’s policy when he knows that the subordinate had been working till late in the night the previous day. As a supervisor, he also has certain responsibilities toward the owners of the organization. Drawing a balance between those responsibilities and his responsibilities toward the subordinates sometimes b ecomes challenging.

Top Quality Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Top Quality Management - Research Paper Example The leadership of the organization is therefore charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all the programs run as intended. Without doubt, the importance of this practice is seen in the success of organizations that have always been at the forefront in terms of quality and performance. Introduction The modern business environment demands more than conventional tactics and strategies. Globalization and economic liberalization have made the business environment more competitive and intricate to the extent that new strategies of operations become certainly imperative. In this regard, quality is one of the most important considerations as a way of creating a competitive advantage and retaining customers. The need to ensure high quality standards has become one of the core concerns for most modern organizations. In any case, Total Quality Management (TQM) calls for a number of strategies which can be adopted by a business in order to stay ahead of its competitors in the market. Con ventionally, TQM encompasses an agreed system of activities in the organization which transcends the operating structure, management of personnel and coordination of business activities in a manner that ensures high quality standards at the most economical budgets (Mizuno, 2004). ... It is a question of collectively involving everybody and everything in the organization through team work, commitment, empowerment of employees etc. The interventions in the TQM process have to be steered by four basic principles of change namely analysis, variability, work processes and continuous improvement. In this case, the production process must be enhanced, variance must be regulated and all the information on operations must be continuously collected and analyzed. In the same way, a continuous effort to improve the performance and the commitment of the employees must always be on course. A combination of these critical factors certainly creates a competitive advantage for the organization TQM and Corporate culture Most organizations have presently realized that in order to survive in the increasingly competitive business environment, they must always strive to become â€Å"total quality organizations† (Owlia, 2010). More importantly it should be realized that the esse nce of TQM is the concept of continuous improvement where innovation and change become central issues for management. TQM therefore employs a number of tools and strategies which are applied in the business in order to create a kind of behavior. Such behavior subsequently leads to such aspects like employee empowerment, an open culture in the organization and a sense of executive commitment. These aspects blend in to create the perfect innovation and change which ensures that quality is most ensured. The idea of corporate culture has been widely applied over time in many organizations. It is understood that the success of an organization is associated with the manner in which its employees feel, act and think. In any case, corporate culture includes the values, beliefs assumptions and

Miss Representation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Miss Representation - Essay Example One of the most useful tools for the mainstream (digital/electronic media) is misrepresentation. I believe that media is now an expert in forming ideologies; resolutions and keeping in check people’s lifestyles. I agree with the film’s message that there is a certain agenda the way media portrays women. They are usually portrayed as the victims, short tempered and there is no way people can put women on screen without sexually objectifying them. In my opinion the way media portrays women has a strong effect on the way women in real life see themselves. Teenagers spend hours in front of television, passively absorbing information through images. It would be hard to argue that TV doesn’t affect lifestyles and ideologies. I would agree with the documentary that people are paying more attention to women’s appearances rather than their content (their knowledge and skills). It seems as if youth, beauty and sexuality are the only degrees left for women to qualify. On the other hand, I also don’t agree with the extreme opposite where women should seek a revengeful behavior because they have been portrayed as victims. A revengeful feministic approach towards matriarchy is the last thing I want. It would be doing the same with the male gender what media is doing with the female gender. This society, its resources, job opportunities should be available to both genders based only and ONLY on their merit not on their

See Below Journal entry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

See Below Journal entry - Essay Example However, according to published reports on Bustle.com by Tognotti (2014), it is clear that the group’s stated mission goal, as voiced by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on June 2014, it to come up with a new Islamic caliphate worldwide. This gives an indicator that the group, aims at controlling the whole world, by making sure everyone abides to the Islamic Sharia laws, failure to which one risks being sentenced to death. Such ideologies have seen many youth being recruited to join the bloody group, with the hope of being saved from torture. ISIS is motivated by a series of Islamic beliefs, which revolve around the Day of Judgment, which they use as its strategy to make its enemies aware of the motives behind the ideologies (Pazzanese, 2014). There has been constant conflict between the US and most Islamic countries. This was evident when American Journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were executed by ISIS (Wood, 2015). This can be termed as political threat to the US government, in that they have to withdraw their forces from its territory of face constant attacks. The motive and real objective of ISIL/ISIS is a paradox. While some term it political, the group is motivated by its religious believes, though deeply rooted in extremism, which involves radicalization and use o violence in victimizing those who do not borrow their religious idea. Tognotti Chris. (2014, Sep 2). What Does ISIS Want, Exactly? The Terrorists’ Stated Goal Has Been Made Clear. Retrieved Jun 2, 2015 from:

High Performing Teams Analysis Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

High Performing Teams Analysis Report - Essay Example The employees can voluntarily choose participation that enhances their performance. They provide workforce with constant learning environment so that employees can meet new challenges with high success. BT’s team performance is incentive drive. It primarily relies on two new payment system vis-Ã  -vis new reward framework for managers; and field reward system for non-management grade. It promotes individual and team achievements. New reward framework for managers consists of base salary, bonus and benefits. Base salary is market driven and increment is based on individual performance. Bonus is annual one-off payment depending on outstanding performance criteria and achievement of SMART goals. Benefit package gives the managers the freedom to choose their benefits like different insurance, cars etc. from pre-defined options. The field reward system is voluntary and non-contractual system for field executives. It turns points earned by employees for good work and carrying out specialized tasks successfully into financial rewards. The major weakness is that it actually promotes inequity across workforce and lowers the importance of team work. High performing teams are one of the key strengths of a firm that are performance driven and provide firms with competitive advantage in the market (Bratton & Gold, 2007). The team selection based on job profile and interview tends to overlook the more objective screening of candidate based on Belbin questionnaire and MBTI. The personal biases could creep into selection as the interview is broadly subjective. Moreover, high performing teamwork needs to be consistent. Regular appraisal through Belbin’s questionnaire and MBTI could provide management with effective feedback so that timely measures are applied to ensure continuous high performance of the teams. Indeed, high performance

A decade of development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A decade of development - Assignment Example With the introduction of the Microsoft suite of products that were designed to be used on a license basis and the resultant need for patches and upgrades met only through paying for the same instead of having a way to program the upgrades by the users themselves. Particularly telling is the instance of how Richard Stallman could not insert his code into the working of the printer software thereby having to wait for the upgrade from the manufacturer. This example typifies the approach of free software activists towards the concept of paying for the software. They insist that the source code of the software must be made available to everyone and those additions and insertions to the source code should provide a way of customizing the software according to the needs of each individual. Similarly, Lessig’s approach of making the content free is discussed as well. Lessig’s approach is the backbone of what is called as the â€Å"creative commons† license. According to this paradigm, content should be free of commercial attributions and once the source code or the content is developed, anyone should be free to add his or her code or content to the existing base and use the modified version without paying any fees. Of course, the creative commons license specifies how the original developer needs to be acknowledged for his or her work and in the later years; this became a bone of contention as well. The most famous example of free content and one that can be editable by anybody is the case of Wikipedia. This is an online encyclopaedia that anyone can edit and add information to the existing body of knowledge. Considering the fact that this site is one of the most popular sites on the internet and the visitors to this site run into the millions, the concept of free content and open knowledge has indeed caught on. However, as the article points out, there were several hiccups along the way as evidenced by the

High Performing Teams Analysis Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

High Performing Teams Analysis Report - Essay Example The employees can voluntarily choose participation that enhances their performance. They provide workforce with constant learning environment so that employees can meet new challenges with high success. BT’s team performance is incentive drive. It primarily relies on two new payment system vis-Ã  -vis new reward framework for managers; and field reward system for non-management grade. It promotes individual and team achievements. New reward framework for managers consists of base salary, bonus and benefits. Base salary is market driven and increment is based on individual performance. Bonus is annual one-off payment depending on outstanding performance criteria and achievement of SMART goals. Benefit package gives the managers the freedom to choose their benefits like different insurance, cars etc. from pre-defined options. The field reward system is voluntary and non-contractual system for field executives. It turns points earned by employees for good work and carrying out specialized tasks successfully into financial rewards. The major weakness is that it actually promotes inequity across workforce and lowers the importance of team work. High performing teams are one of the key strengths of a firm that are performance driven and provide firms with competitive advantage in the market (Bratton & Gold, 2007). The team selection based on job profile and interview tends to overlook the more objective screening of candidate based on Belbin questionnaire and MBTI. The personal biases could creep into selection as the interview is broadly subjective. Moreover, high performing teamwork needs to be consistent. Regular appraisal through Belbin’s questionnaire and MBTI could provide management with effective feedback so that timely measures are applied to ensure continuous high performance of the teams. Indeed, high performance

Does the idea of equal opportunity demand or prohibit cultural and Essay

Does the idea of equal opportunity demand or prohibit cultural and religious exemptions in the multicultural society - Essay Example On the other hand, it should be noticed that in most countries around the world the development of various legal and social ethics is based on certain principles the most important of which is equality; the specific principle is often used by governments internationally in order to justify their decisions on a variety of issues related with people’s daily life. The principle of equality is further divided into sub-principles like the equal opportunity one. Generally, it could be stated equal opportunity should prohibit the exemptions related with culture and decision within modern societies; of course, there are cases where such exemptions should apply – when the criteria for the development of these exemptions cannot be related with the principle of equal opportunity (e.g. specific religious exemptions based on the existed religious rules of a particular region). In order to evaluate whether the principle of equal opportunity can be used in order to impose or prohibit cultural and religious exemptions in modern society it is necessary to refer primarily to the general framework of equal opportunity – as developed in modern states influenced by the relevant theoretical and empirical studies on this field. Other issues, like the relationship between the state and the church and the involvement of culture in the development of specific social principles could be also examined. In order to understand the importance of equal of opportunity within the modern society and its interaction with various social and cultural principles and ethics, it is necessary primarily to refer to its meaning and its characteristics. In accordance with a definition published by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2002, online version) equality of opportunity is a political ideal that is opposed to caste hierarchy but not to hierarchy per se; the background assumption is that a society contains a hierarchy of more and less desirable, superior and inferior positions’. The

The issues included in uncovering the historical Patrick Essay Example for Free

The issues included in uncovering the historical Patrick Essay When explaining the issues involved in uncovering the historical background, it is a most difficult task. This is for a number of reasons, but the main reason would be the lack of historical information in Patricks writings. Patrick felt dates were unimportant, and so didnt include many of them in his writings. This means that his writings are a lot more useful for getting an insight into his thoughts and feelings, for hearing Patricks spiritual journey in his own words, and hearing about the difficulties he faced in his mission, and how he responded to them. However, whenever it comes down to historical background, key dates, or geographical information, Patricks writings arent as useful as would be hoped, and therefore a lot of scholars draw their own conclusions, which we must take into account when trying to make our own. Kenney says that when we search for historical facts within Patricks writings, we are faced with an exasperating incoherence, which leaves the meaning constantly in doubt and suggests that Patrick may actually be a much more obscure character than we would like to admit. Sà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½an MacAirt refers to the fifth century as the lost century, because of the absence of any historical information. We are still in the era of pre-history, which the exception of Patricks writings, and Prospers reference to the arrival of Palladius. Within these two documents, which are of the utmost importance, there are only two place names given to us, and no dates, so it is very hard to gather historical fact. ORahilly rightly says of humble Patrick the last thing that the saint could have imagined, would be that hundreds of years later, the document would be scrutinised again and again with a view to gleaning biographical details of the writers life. The big problem is that there is a two-hundred year gap between the time Patrick actually lived, and when he was first written about, so this leaves plenty of room for false information or inaccuracy. In Patricks Confessio, Patrick tells us of his birth place, Bannaven Taburniae, but he does not tell us where it is actually located. There have been many unsuccessful attempts to agree on the location of the birth of Patrick; however there has been an agreement on three basic points that must be taken into account when trying to determine the location. The first of these is that it would have to be in the West of Britain. This is to facilitate easy access to the Irish raiders. At a young age, Patrick was taken captive, and taken to Ireland, so it Is important to consider how realistic suggestions such as Gaul where, in that were the Irish raiders really going to travel all the way to Gaul and back, without being caught? Charles Thomas adds to this point, by suggesting that it would be opposite the place of Patricks captivity in Ireland. The next important criterion is Patricks sense of Roman Identity. Patrick has a very strong sense of Roman Identity, so it is fair to say that his birth place would need to be a strongly Romanised part of Britain. Baring this in mind, Bannavem Taburniae would have to be south of Hadrians Wall. And the last of the three criteria, is that Patrick must have been living near a town with a civil administration centre. This is because Patricks father Calpurnius was a collector of taxes. Bearing these in mind, there have been different suggestions put forward to the location of Bannavem Taburniae. In the seventh century, Muirchà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ tells us that Bannavem Taburniae was identified as ventre. Although that does not directly help us with our identification, Bieler did find it useful when reconstructing the name as Bannaventa Taburniae. If this is correct, there was a small roman settlement in Northamptonshire. The name of this settlement was then taken and given to a place outside Daventry. However, this suggestion fails to meet one of the most important of the criteria- this area would not be very accessible to Irish raiders, as it is in the midlands. Charles Thomas believes that the only place to fulfil all three criteria would be the North West of Britain. He concludes that the most likely location is Carlisle, which entirely outweighs that of Daventry, Dumbarton or elsewhere. It is also far enough North to explain Patricks poor use of Latin. Dark warns us that any attempt to locate Bannavem Taburniae is based on assumptions, and cannot be taken as facts; however he believes the only place we can safely say for definite suffered from frequent raids by the Irish during the fifth and sixth century were the areas of Cotswolds and Dorset. There has also been a great deal of debate in regards to the location of Silva Foclutti (the wood of Foclut). It arises in Patricks narration of the call, when he says As I read the beginning of the letter, I seem to hear the voice of those who were by the wood of Foclut which is near the western sea, and they cried as with one voice, Holy Boy, we are asking you to come and walk among us again. Bury ORahilly and Hanson assume that this is referring to the place of Patricks captivity, and Mohrmann agrees, saying interpreting Patricks words seems to suggest that they are from the mouth of people from a part of the country that Patrick seems to have known from his captivity.Some scholars suggest that Patrick is speaking metaphorically here in that even at the furthermost point of Ireland; the people were calling to him. Bieler on the other hand believes that it could perhaps be a place that Patrick had heard of, but never been to, as he believed that Patricks call was from the Irish in general, and not from a specific area. There has been a great deal of difficulty in reconciling the two suggested locations of Slemish and Mayo, which are both traditionally held as the place of Patricks captivity. Tà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½rechà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½n himself was from that area. Others however believe that as it is the earliest identification we have, we should accept it as genuine. Patrick does give us a clue in his Confessio to the location, when he says it was near the western sea. Hanson believes that Patrick does give us further clues throughout his writings, such as when he tells us that he had to travel to a ship that was perhaps two hundred miles away. If we are to accept that, he was returning to Britain, perhaps he had to make a journey from the North coast of Mayo, to the coast of Wicklow or Wexford, diagonally across Ireland. There is also a long known tradition of Patrick tending the flocks as a boy on Mount Slemish. Hanson argues however that this does not fit the evidence of the escape story, as an escape from here would have involved only a thirty mile walk, rather than the two hundred Patrick mentions. Hanson argues that we must accept the plain evidence of his own words, and place his captivity in County Mayo, near the border with County Sligo. Bury ORahilly and Hanson all reject the location as being Slemish, however, Slemish is a mountainous area, while the area suggested around Killala is plain. Philbin and Concannon both suggest a compromise in that both localities can be accepted because Patrick changed master. We cannot be certain of the place of his captivity, and although we shouldnt accept something purely based on the fact its tradition, we also cannot dismiss a longstanding tradition In his writings, Patrick also mentions Gaul, and a strong desire to study there. This has led to some historians assuming he spent a significant portion of his life there, most likely undergoing clerical training. Patrick says he wishes to visit Gaul to see the Brethen, which may have been a desire to visit friends he made during his training. However, Binchy believes that this was merely a desire to visit the Holy men of God. Muirchà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ wrote in the seventh century, that Patrick stayed in Gaul for some thirty years, but ORahilly argued against this, saying that he got this account confused with Palladius training and ordination. The unresolved debate regarding Patrick and Gaul has led many to believe that some of the details of the life of the historical Patrick can never be resolved, and are forever lost to the historian. Others argue that the most important part of Patrick, such as his personality shall be preserved for eternity, in his own writings. There is so little historical information about Patrick that there is even conflict regarding the dating of Patrick, even his death. Charles Thomas believes that Patrick wrote his letter to Coroticus at some time between 465-475, and that the Confessio was written sometime after 480. He says that the annalistic dates from his death cluster around the early 490s may reflect with some reality, the tradition that he dies before the end of the century. In 1942, Thomas ORahilly suggested a later dating for Patricks mission, still within the fifth century. He took the evidence from the fifth and sixth century annals into account, and concluded that Patrick arrived in Ireland in 461, and died in 492/3. In conclusion, although it is very difficult to determine historical fact in regard to Patrick, if we focus on hints within his letters, scholarly opinion, and what he says himself, we can come up with some possible dates and locations for Patricks birth, mission, and death, and this will hopefully in time become more conclusive.

The Abuse of Freedom of Speech

The Abuse of Freedom of Speech Freedom of Speech, one of Americas downfalls. One of the biggest misconceptions now a days is that many of todays generation has exercised their freedom of speech inappropriately. They have cruelly misused and abused it by using it as an excuse to be discriminative, unpleasant, and barbarous.42% of teenagers with tech access report being cyber bullied over the past year, this is because technology has created a generation that have gained the wrong kind of confidence from behind a computer or cell phone screen. Social media outlets and many other sources have become a crutch for allowing this corruption of what we call one our Constitutional Rights. Yes America has the right to express its freedom, but does that mean we have to cruel and malicious when we become upset? When it come to expressing opinions, people now have no problem with doing so. Whether that be over a cellphone, computer, through mail, or in person, America never fails to get it their point across. This comes with many downfalls, these methods may be effective, but sometimes people can get caught in the crossfire. For example in 2007, Katherine Evans a senior at Pembroke Pines Charter High School exerted her freedom of speech. Evans disliked one particular teacher that she decided to create a facebook page trashing her. Yes, Evans did create the page off campus, and it didnt involve any threatening or vulgar words, but it isnt ethically right. Did this teacher really deserve this hurtful defamation? Also many websites are aiding and protecting these freedom of Speech abusers in certain cases, with their terms of use and policies leaving various ways to hurt people. The faster, easier, and cheaper it becomes to communicate and connect with people, the more effortlessly we will abuse our freedom of speech and expression. For instance spreading vile rumors that could ruin someones reputation can now be done within a matter off seconds. 2.8% of students report that they have had harmful information spread about them. This kind of quick-fire approach to spilling our opinions has created a culture of criticism. Today seven-in-ten Americans use social media to connect with one another Thats a large portion of America taking part in a society thats rapped up in judging others and crossing boundaries of our constitutional rights. Social media sites have received lash back for allowing users to post offensive post about other people onto their sites. Also social media is now creating more ways to attack people, ANONYMOUSLY! More and more apps are being created to use anonymously. This only encourages the abuse of freedom of speech. To top it all off, its all public and there for everyone to see. Freedom of speech is scaling heights everyday with disregard of the consequences of misusing it. Posting pictures without someones permission has gotten out of control. Some are not meant maliciously, but theres some that can destroy opportunities for a person. This is a result of one of many ways we misuse our right to freedom of speech. We have engulfed ourselves into our virtual lives that we forget there are consequences to our actions, when we post something about someone. Once its uploaded, its now forever in the World Wide Web. There are many instances of teenagers that have posted pictures of others and that other person has suffered severe repercussions because of it. Our perceptions of right and wrong have been swayed because too many people abuse the right to express their opinions, by attacking innocent people, and those undeserving of others criticism. There are many consequences to misusing freedom of speech, such as people who have committed suicide, or attempted suicide. Every year 864,950 people attempt suicide. This mean one person tries to commit suicide every thirty-eight seconds because people have the liberty to express their opinion whether that be good or bad. Of the 69% of teens that own technology, 80% are active on social media. This is a large portion of our youth and future leaders. Celebrities, politicians, authors, normal everyday people, are exposed to cruel and perverted individuals who believe that they can say whatever they want. Various mainstream issues such as racism, feminism, and equal pay are being fueled by people who are ignorant to culture, because they feel the need to express what they believe despite being politically incorrect. Yes Freedom of speech gives us the right to verbally express how we feel, but not to degrade, humiliate, curse, and abuse people. Four-in-ten Millennials say the government should be able to prevent people from publicly making statements that are offensive to minority groups. Many people may disagree with government censoring, but consider all the suicides, attempted suicides, riots, that all could be avoided. The integrity of Americas freedom of speech has been compromised. Freedom of speech has been misused, abused, and thrown around, like trash. For the sake of Americas youth and future generations there needs to be change. America cannot continue to allow such verbal attacks to ensue on undeserving people or on social media. Society should start respecting freedom of speech. People think before speaking or typing, show empathy, see past what you disagree. Make a change in the nation for the better.

College Admissions Essay: Celebrating Diversity -- College Admissions

Celebrating Diversity    Growing up in Florida, the prevalence of a diverse society has always been evident to me. While realizing at a young age how many differences exist in my hometown of Orlando, I eagerly wanted to become a part of each segment of my world. From a young age, my parents could tell that I had an interest in the international cultures in my life.    When I started high school, I wanted to study other cultures and further my knowledge of another language. Besides taking classes in Spanish, I chose to volunteer after school with Bosnian refugees. The volunteer program aids Bosnian refugees in their immersion into American culture. I volunteered to help a family become accustomed to life in the United States, and was paired with a family who had spent less than three weeks in our country. My family included a mother and two teenage daughters around my age. Within the first hours of meeting the Sinanovics, I believed that through an ongoing relationship, I would be able to have a lasting impact on three lives.    Because the Sinanovics spok...

Yaroslav the Wise :: History Ukraine Ukranian Essays

Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav, son of Vladimir, took over full control of Kyiv in the year 1036. This did not occur until after the deaths of his father and many brothers. Upon Vladimir’s death in 1015 his son Sviatopolk rushed in and took control over Kyiv, killing three of his own brothers in the process. Yaroslav could not let this stand. Joined by Mstislav, another brother, and hired Scandinavian mercenaries, they ousted Sviatopolk and split the empire between themselves. Mstislav controlled Chernigov and Yaroslav went to Novgorod, as he preferred that to Kyiv. Mstislav died in 1036, and at that time Yaroslav became the undisputed ruler of all Kyivan Rus lands. At this time he moved his capital back to the traditional city of Kyiv. [2] Yaroslav did much for the betterment of the Ukrainian state during his reign. He settled the problem of having unruly neighbors to the south. He led a sound defensive stand against an attack of the marauding Pechenegs.[3] These southern folk had been a pestering nuisance for a number of years. After the defeat of these troublesome foes, there was nothing else to worry about in the south because the people that moved in next were much more peaceful. He could now worry about the Polish problem in the east. The Poles were not happy about there western land holdings. They wanted to annex the Ukrainian lands to the west of them. Yaroslav lead an expedition in the late 1920’s and dominated the Polish army, plundered their cities and took many prisoners.[4] After this the Polish peoples revolted and threw out old hierarchy of government and getting rid of Christianity. He later married his sister to the new king of Poland and for the time being the trouble with Poland was over. During this time period it was a great honor to be married to the family of a foreign countries monarchy. It was also a wise governing decision as it made connections and allies out of countries that otherwise may have been foes. Yaroslav the Wise :: History Ukraine Ukranian Essays Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav, son of Vladimir, took over full control of Kyiv in the year 1036. This did not occur until after the deaths of his father and many brothers. Upon Vladimir’s death in 1015 his son Sviatopolk rushed in and took control over Kyiv, killing three of his own brothers in the process. Yaroslav could not let this stand. Joined by Mstislav, another brother, and hired Scandinavian mercenaries, they ousted Sviatopolk and split the empire between themselves. Mstislav controlled Chernigov and Yaroslav went to Novgorod, as he preferred that to Kyiv. Mstislav died in 1036, and at that time Yaroslav became the undisputed ruler of all Kyivan Rus lands. At this time he moved his capital back to the traditional city of Kyiv. [2] Yaroslav did much for the betterment of the Ukrainian state during his reign. He settled the problem of having unruly neighbors to the south. He led a sound defensive stand against an attack of the marauding Pechenegs.[3] These southern folk had been a pestering nuisance for a number of years. After the defeat of these troublesome foes, there was nothing else to worry about in the south because the people that moved in next were much more peaceful. He could now worry about the Polish problem in the east. The Poles were not happy about there western land holdings. They wanted to annex the Ukrainian lands to the west of them. Yaroslav lead an expedition in the late 1920’s and dominated the Polish army, plundered their cities and took many prisoners.[4] After this the Polish peoples revolted and threw out old hierarchy of government and getting rid of Christianity. He later married his sister to the new king of Poland and for the time being the trouble with Poland was over. During this time period it was a great honor to be married to the family of a foreign countries monarchy. It was also a wise governing decision as it made connections and allies out of countries that otherwise may have been foes.

Divorce

Marriage can be defined as a union between a man and a woman. This was initiated by God after the creation. Marriage enables individuals to procreate by having children. People who are married usually live together and this makes it possible to share responsibilities in the house. People are expected to live happily in marriage considering that marriage occurs between individuals who love each other. During marriage, individuals take vows that they will live together as a long as they are alive. However, this has changed and what has been observed is that some marriages break after some time.Court cases facilitating divorce have been on increase. In the previous years, divorce was something that was unacceptable. However, the society seems to be accepting divorce due to the circumstances surrounding a marriage. The highest proportion of the society members argue that divorce should not be allowed due to its consequences. In United States, people believe that people have the freedom t o do whatever they wish with their lives. In this regard people should be allowed to divorce when they feel that there is a need. This research paper will argue against divorce in the society.It will also look at both sides of the argument so that it can prove there is a need to protect marriages (Clarke-Stewart). Divorce has many negative consequences for the couples involved and the children in the family and this is why it should be avoided at all costs. Financial management is a challenge to divorced couples. Individuals should consider the costs associated with divorce. In the first place, the divorce process requires expenditure. This may be so expensive for the couples involved. Second, the parties involved need to seek a new residential area which involves a cost.One of the parties incurs greater costs in meeting the costs of paying school fees for the children. If there is no divorce, it means that individuals share these costs such that there is no burden in meeting these expenses (Peterson). Two individuals are also able to better plan for their finances for the future benefit as compared to when all the decisions are made by one individual. The money that could have been wasted in the divorce process could be invested so that the couple can receive future revenues from their investment activities.There are various reasons why people divorce. In the first place, couples argue that there is lack of commitment in their relationships. This means that one of the partners is less concerned about the social needs of the family such as socializing, meeting financial needs, meeting educational needs of the children and planning for the future. This makes one person to seek a happier marriage elsewhere after divorce (Wallerstein). When both persons are not committed infidelity is a constant problem, a partner may be unfaithful such that he/she engages in extramarital sex.In this case, the other partner feels that this is not acceptable considering that the c urrent world is full of sexually transmitted diseases some of which are very dangerous. The offended party in the marriage finds that the best way to deal with the situation is through divorce. Another reason is financial problems. Unfortunately, money is a problem for almost everyone, and it is even more so with married couples who more than likely split the bill in most situations, financial obligations can cause conflict between couples.When they get married, they have to be certain that they are financially prepared for an increase of expenses, especially if the birth of a child is involved. Also unemployment can cause conflicts between the marriage, due to arguments about expenses, not being able to find a new job, or one individual feeling superior to the other. When this happen couples opt for a divorce since after the separation the stress will be less and money can be manage better by just one person. Communication is essential to a successful marriage.We have all heard thi s at some point in our lives but at the present time there are many married couples that lack of communication for several different reasons such as work schedules, demanding families or even technological distractions. This soon creates anger and frustration builds up, which ends in larger issues. Larger issues are not as easy to solve as smaller ones. Even if the couple manages to work out these issues and stay together, it’s not a real marriage. Without communication, there is no relationship and therefore the marriage is ready for divorce.Generally, there are many challenges that make people to divorce. These reasons are reasonable and people seek to be in marriages that are more satisfactory. Some of the problems that lead to divorce are intentional and some spouses find it difficult to continue with marriage. Some Christians also argue that individuals are allowed to divorce if the reason for divorce is infidelity. Infidelity is unacceptable even to the Christians and p eople are allowed to divorce if this happens in their marriage.

The Zoo Story

Daniel Castellanos THE2000 Ms Janet Roney 12/1/12 The Zoo Story Edward Albee’s â€Å"The Zoo Story† is a one act play that shows what alienation and loneliness can drive a man to do. It is a unique story in the sense that you almost feel as though you are reading in on a social experiment. I consider it is an experiment because of how the reactions between the two characters Peter and Jerry lead up to an intense and life affecting climax between the two. The idea of The Zoo Story is about a middle class man with a wife and two daughters named peter who you can say is quite receptive to what life has given him so far.However, you also have a man named jerry who is just about the opposite. Jerry is unfortunately friendless and not to happy with what life has brought to his plate. One day these two characters have a date with destiny on a New York City park bench. As Peter is minding to himself Jerry comes along and tries to befriend him. The socialization between the two doesn’t go as planned for Jerry. Nevertheless, Jerry walked into that conversation with another plan. It was one that included his own death.Eventually, it ends up into a confrontation between the two where Jerry is punching thus forcing Peter into defending himself. Jerry then pulls out a knife and tosses it towards Peter forcing his hand. In self defense, Peter picks up the knife and holds it up which then leads to Jerry charging towards the knife and thus murdering himself. Peter reactively says â€Å"Oh my God† whereas then with Jerry’s last breath he says â€Å"Oh†¦My†¦ God is a combination of scornful mimicry and supplication†. His last words give you an insight on what this novels idea could be.After reading, I started to relate to how Aristotle’s theory on Plot matches to â€Å"The Zoo Story†. When you think of plot you would consider the arraignment of events such as rising action and climax. Now when you start to stick to gether the structural plots in this story you would begin with the exposition where Peter is sitting on the park bench and soon then enters Jerry. The rising action would have to be the conversation they both shared leading up until the moment Jerry spits and then punches Peter. Of course, the climax is the scene when Jerry then tosses the knife on the floor and hen forces Peter to choose between leaving or quite possibly killing a man with his own weapon. The falling action is when Jerry runs into the blade consequently killing him. Therefore, leading to the resolution which is the last words Jerry is able to say to Peter after his initial reaction to his death. The idea of characters would mainly consist of the protagonist and the antagonist. In The Zoo Story it puts you in the life of Jerry who, to some, would come off as the antagonist however to me I see him as the protagonist.It is clear that Jerry is a man who is lonely and desperate to make a friend. It starts with Jerry try ing to make an effort to communicate with Peter, yet he doesn’t seem all interested. As each new topic Jerry comes up with is diminished it gives me the feeling that all Jerry is trying to do is socialize with another human being. The theme of a play is usually the reason why the playwright would write the play. The theme we come across in this play is Loneliness.

MACRO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MACRO - Essay Example It will also considered about the various issues and challenges related to economic growth, unemployment, inflation, and the balance of payment and the exchange rate Economic growth is often defined as the increase in the market value to the quantity of goods and services produced by the economy over the period of time. Economic growth can be measured in terms of the increase in the per capita gross domestic product (GDP) (The Saylor Foundation, 2014). Accordingly, the GDP growth rate of the UK has been identified to demonstrate constant fluctuation. The UK economy is ascertained to face with strong headwinds and challenges. Contextually, the sluggish progress of the global economy along with uncertainty related to euro zone is identified to generate considerable headwinds for the nation’s economy. Output of the economy has remained flat for the last two years demonstrating 3% lower than it was at peak. Besides, private consumption is identified to restrain particularly due to reducing real disposable income, precautionary saving, tight access to credit and deleveraging. Likewise, private investment is also ascertained to be suffering fro m declining demand for goods and services, increased uncertainty and rigid financial conditions. The sluggish growth experienced by the trading partners particularly in Europe has eroded the hopes of quick recovery from the challenges faced by the economy. Declining non-price competitiveness and the limited market share held by the UK in the emerging markets of the world has also hampered the rate of export growth. Notably, high household debt, alongside limited access to mortgages is reckoned to have continuous impact on the residential investment (Wehinger, 2011). According to Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), GDP growth rate of the economy is expected to be raised by 2.7 % in the year 2014. The OBR has warned about the prediction

The battle of Yarmuk (636) and the arab conquest of syria and palesine Essay

The battle of Yarmuk (636) and the arab conquest of syria and palesine - Essay Example One of the deciding factors of these battles aside from the strategies is the increase in numbers of Muslims that formed alliances with those of their own fates, and also their conquests of nearby regions, stopping the expansion of Christianity towards the Middle East and India, and allowed the Muslims to move westward up to Spain (The Great Islamic Conquests 49). It was believed by historians that if these battles did not happen or if it had other results, the history of the world might have been changed dramatically, since the major contributions of Islam like mathematics and science would be prevented from being spread, and without these two important concepts the beginning of the scientific revolution would be prevented. The Arab Conquests of Syria and Palestine When the Muslims were able to take control of former cities that were previously under Christianity, not only did they expanded their territories, but also removed the fertile lands that the Byzantine Empire relied on (Fo uracre 298). The unification of the bands of Arabs by the Muslim faith has created large and uniform bands that were able to take over territories because of their members having something in common: a strong faith in Muhammad (The Great Islamic Conquests 48). ... This created an opening for the Muslim Army to take over Syria and Palestine, before ultimately fending off the advancing Byzantine army at the Valley of Yarmuk. Around the year 628 A.C.E., the Prophet Muhammad signed a non-aggression pact with the Meccans because he was not yet allowing the Jihad, or Holy War to commence yet. However, due to the need to expand the Islamic faith and to loot the rich countries, some three thousand of his men initiated attacks on the eastern regions of Jordan, and eventually caused them a devastating defeat from the defending Byzantines (Avi-Yonah and Peres 199). Initially this made the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius complacent about the defenses of the Syrian borders, and after a year from being attacked by Muslim Arabs, he created an opening by not paying the tribes that defended this side of the kingdom (Kennedy 143). In addition to the discontent with the Byzantine rulers and religions, the persecutions added to the disinterest of the tribes that were living in the Syrian border, which made these parts vulnerable to either attacks or conversions (Kennedy 147). The Muslim army advanced towards southern Syrian borders, and one of the governors signed a peace treaty with Muhammad, which helped him secure one of the entrances to Syria (Avi-Yonah and Peres 199). After gaining control of Syria around 633-634 A.C.E., the Muslim army then planned on invading Palestine, annexing it and liberating the people from Byzantine rule. The battle lead by Khalid entered Palestine first by invading the northern part in order to control the region without other problems. The Byzantines were taken over by the Muslim soldiers due to the former undermining the capacity of the advancing Muslim army. Aside from the Byzantine Emperor