Prompt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Prompt - Essay Example Owning stuff is important in life for example you own a house. If one owns a home they are high chances of moving in that house and living in it as long as one likes. I am able to control myself and am able to install anything I want in the house since a got no limitation and I fill safe. The other advantage of owning a property is that the cost is reduced since in get it does not need to rent it from other people. The most things that make me grateful is that my friends made me who I am by motivating me. Spent most of their time with me until I realized my dream they were with me the time I needed them the most am grateful for they are friends with a purpose. Generally opposite does not attract it is just a believe for the most of the people. Most of the successful relations are not between the people who are polar opposite of each other. The people you are likely to meet and make friends with are not of the opposite your social circle is going to be made of people who have something in common between them. Mostly the behaviors most friends are of the same behavior and they are only comfortable when together. I would tell him to start a program that would enable the youths to realize their dreams and see their dreams come true. I would also tell him about starting a program of funding the youth and giving that will equalize all the youths in no matter the color. Discrimination among the youths is bad since it affects most of the youths life and they fill hated making them fill worthless in life. I had a friend who really inspired me in my school life I can’t say that he was perfect but all I can say is that he was right he made sure that he full filled his goal and achieved what was best for him he was ahead of me in school but I followed his steps. All I wanted in my entire school life is to live just like him he was my role model. He was not discriminative despite the color he was an inspiration

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

Case Study Example The criminal justice policies in the United States of America are guided by the 1967 Presidents Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice. One of the greatest and ground breaking achievements of this group was the publication of a report named The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society (Cole Smith & DeJong, 2014). The report has over 200 recommendations pertaining to the US Criminal Justice policies. These recommendations were a part of the comprehensive approach of the commission towards preventing and fighting against the crime in the country. Few of the recommendations made by the commission could find their place in the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. It was advocated by The President’s Commission that with those recommendations the coordination between the enforcement force, courts and the correctional agencies has seen a great improvement. It is pointed by the Commission that criminal justice is the mean through which both society and the individuals in the country is protected from any crime. The crime committed was a robbery. The victim, Mr. Milton Brown, was robbed at the gunpoint by two assailants named Bertha Bloutt and William Bloutt in Broadway and First Avenue on 11 October 2011. The assailants have robbed the cash that Mr. Brown was taking from the daily deposits of his store BJ Shoes along with his wallet and the car keys1. Mr. Brown reported this crime to Winston police department. It is mandatory that all the criminal justice process follow a sequential approach to reach the justice2. In this section of the essay the sequence of the criminal justice system will be discussed based upon the chosen case study involving the robbery of cash from Milton Brown and the accused are Bertha Bloutt and William Bloutt. Mr. Brown reported the crime for which he became the victim to the Winston police department, which Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 30 Case Study Example Customers have since identified the company with high-quality products. The wide range of products ensured they capture a large market share. The company has sought to market its brand using several methods that have seen it grow profoundly. With only about two decades since its inception, the management team has tirelessly worked to see the business gain dominance in the industry. With over $200 million invested each year for the last five years, the company has entrenched itself quite well in the market. The management realized that spending considerably in sport sponsorship as well as in advertisements would make it identify itself in the target market. This has since been done through organizing and sponsoring numerous sport events. In the process, printed jerseys with the company logo have caught the targeted customers’ attention. Additionally, the company has used several media platforms to advertise and reach out to their target market. Electronic media have been mounting intensive campaigns that seek to promote the company’s brand and ‘Protect This House’ is among them. UnderAmour understands that having clear and effective distribution channels is critical to market success. It is for this reason that it has availed its products in over twenty five thousand retail outlets all over the globe. A large portion of UnderAmour’s products pass through wholesale before getting to the retailers who avail them to the consumers. Between 2011 and 2013, large sales of about seventy percent came from the intermodal sales made to large store retailers. Moreover, the company also engages in ‘direct to consumer sales’. This involves enabling consumers to directly acquire the products from the stores within the factory. An equally big percentage has been recorded through this; the highest being thirty percent. Worth noting is the e commerce trade in which customer can order or products and shop online. The company has also

Arguments on Utilitarianism Essay Example for Free

Arguments on Utilitarianism Essay Which is more valuable: a game of push-pin or the study of Latin? Which has greater worth: the life of a single young girl or the lives of an entire community? These are the sorts of questions raised when dealing with the matter of utilitarianism. According to Jeremy Bentham, the father of the theory, the ultimate moral goal of human beings should be to increase pleasure and to decrease pain. To maximize the amount of time spent in content, and minimize the times of depression. And he has a point. Simply stated like that, everyone can agree that that is definitely something they want to achieve. But when his theory is applied to real-life conditions, the varying answers and resulting situations arent always applicable with such a cut-and-dry cure-all. Contrary to Benthams theory, just because doing something may seem to create an overall better situation than not doing something, it doesnt necessarily mean that it should be done. When he states his place, Bentham seems to have taken into account all of the variables. He affirms that the standards of right and wrong, and the chains of cause and effect, will influence what exactly promotes pleasure and prevents pain (306). He also recognizes that the quantity of people being affected is a contributing factor as to whether something is ultimately beneficial or detrimental (311). Drawing upon these recognized facts, Bentham goes so far as to create a virtual mathematical equation for determining utility; Including intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, and purity as factors of what qualifies as happiness, and thereby, righteousness (311). But this in itself is absurd, as it is impossible to gauge the properties he proposes. He does not, and can not, provide a scale with which to measure how certain, how intense, or how pure the goodness level of something is. Nor is he able to quantify the overall amount of utility one law or reason offers to an entire population under government; which is what he suggests at the end of his theory (312). It can be conceded that the utility of a rule should be considered during its establishment, as in general rules should be for the greater good and therefore the greater happiness. But there are other factors that come into play that Bentham neglects to recognize. In Ivans Challenge, Fyodor Dostoevsky suggests a striking situation in which utility is obviously not the lone factor in determining its morality (333). He conjures up a circumstance where a small, young girl is to be sacrificed for the edifice of human destiny, the ultimate aim of which is to bring people happiness, to give them peace and contentment at last? (333). With her death, the salvation of the entire community is achieved. At first glance, and in Benthams eyes, its a simple equation. One is lesser than infinity. Her death would be justified because the lives of so many others would be saved. But, he fails to consider human emotion. Living with the fact that a young child had to have died in order for themselves to live may not necessarily be a life of cheerfulness. Furthermore, by calling this a justified situation, Bentham is putting a price on human life. This action in itself is immoral. Also, its an example of a situation where its not really a matter of increasing happiness. Putting a value on a human life is an action in which no party is gaining or losing contentment directly. It doesnt fit into Benthams equation, and apart from it, is an immoral action that should not ethically be able to exist passively beside his main theory of morals by utility. In addition to this flaw, Bentham fails to acknowledge the notion that all pleasures are not created equal. In his first writing, The Principle of Utility, he only manages to recognize the aspect of quantity, and it is in a second, Push-Pin and Poetry, that he proceeds to debunk the possibility of varying qualities of pleasure. To Bentham, there are different kinds of pleasure, but one is not greater or better than another. He breaks them down into two different categories: 1, arts and sciences of amusement and curiosity, and 2, arts and sciences of simple and immediate utility (200). Those of amusement he associates with the fine arts, such as poetry, painting, or architecture, and are generally appreciated aesthetically (200). Those of curiosity he associates with sciences and history, such as the study of foreign languages or biology (200). Those of simple utility are more basic, such as a game of push-pin (200). They are ordinary things that can be enjoyed by anyone. He goes on to say that, prejudice apart, the game of push-pin is of equal value with the fine arts and sciences of music and poetry (200). His only concession is that if music and science are placed above a game of push-pin in utility, it is only because those individuals are more difficult to please (200). Nowhere does he acknowledge that those difficult individuals are correct or justified in wanting a more stimulating source of excitement. Nowhere does he consent that the thrill of curing a disease through the study of medicine overpowers the brief amusement of a board game. But, John Stuart Mill, a supporter of the philosophy of utilitarianism, does. He begins by citing a major criticism of utility, which is that many people feel that the idea of life having no higher end besides pleasure? no better and nobler object of desire and pursuit is degrading and dishonorable (201). His rebuke is that it is only degrading if the accusation supposes human beings to be capable of no pleasures except those of which swine are capable (201). This is obviously not the case. We would not be content simply rolling in mud and gorging ourselves on tangerine rinds. Humans require more stimulation and excitement in order to achieve happiness than an animal, such as swine, with lesser faculties. It is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied (Mill 203). To be able to fully appreciate and understand the higher pleasures, such as love and friendship, is so much more rewarding than the simple contentments of physical gratification. Despite the truth that a fool or a swine may lead a more content life, it is only because they require less to achieve contentment. This supplements Benthams statement of a person who prefers poetry to push-pin being more difficult to please. Bentham just fails to see that human beings in their usual healthy, intelligent forms are all difficult to please. All in all, the philosophy of utilitarianism is an acceptable standard of morality? on most occasions. There will always be situations where what is truly moral does not fully satisfy the idea of existence exempt from pain and rich in enjoyments. And, contrary to Bentham, there are pleasures that are of higher quality than others, just as there are pains more severe than others. Works Cited Bentham, Jeremy. Push-Pin and Poetry. Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. 199-200. Bentham, Jeremy. The Principle of Utility. Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. 306-312. Mill, John Stuart. Higher and Lower Pleasures. Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. 201-205. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Ivans Challenge. Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. 332.

BP Global: Future Strategy Sustainability

BP Global: Future Strategy Sustainability British Petroleum (BP) is the worlds one of the largest and leading petroleum product manufactures. It has headquarters in London. It operates from 29 countries. Though it has faced safety and environmental controversies in the history of its operations it could overcome all negative images through a concrete focus and consistent efforts towards sustainable developments. BP operates throughout the world in locations, terrains and climates that are tremendously diverse and frequently challenging. However, BP aims to minimize its environmental impact by taking a systematic and disciplined approach to operations, using sophisticated risk assessment techniques that directly inform its business plans. Therefore, BP is incorporating its environmental management systems into the group-wide operating management system that helps BP to set priorities for operations based on assessment of the key risks, including those related to environmental and social performance. BP believes this integration will promote greater efficiency and consistency across the business. It has formulated a set procedure to conduct, at least annually, a formal process to identify and assess risks and emerging issues, including environmental and social issues. Main aim of BP is to manage environmental and social risk during every phase of its operations viz. launching new projects, carrying out day-to-day operations and bringing a project to a close. BP strives to minimize the impact on the environment by identifying risks during the project set-up and using technology to reduce or remedy any impacts. The firm is investing in a broad portfolio of alternative energy businesses and RD, while advocating a carbon price and public funding to support such new technologies. The firms greenhouse gas efficiency achievements will be vulnerable to a shift towards unconventional fossil fuels. Climate change creates both threats to BP through market changing technologies, and opportunities, such as increasing natural gas sales at the expense of coal. BP partly manages these risks by applying an internal carbon price to new projects and through its policy influence. Through its clean energy investments BP is hedging against dramatic changes to the worlds energy mix. In this assignment, we have taken up the BPs sustainability report of 2009 and studied its activities enabling it to achieve sustainable growth. We also assessed its capabilities, current position and forecast its future sustainable growth. British Petroleum Limited (BP) Introduction Website: http://www.bp.com Location of Headquarters: 1 St. Jamess Sq., London, SW1Y 4PD, United Kingdom Sector Industry: Basic Materials Energy Nature of Business: Oil Natural Gas Business Wind Solar Energy Business Bio-fuel Business Energy Security Energy Diversity Business Technology Partnership Products: BP petroleum and derived products BP service stations Air BP Aviation Fuels Castrol motor oil ARCO gas stations am/pm convenience stores Aral service stations solar panels Historical Background: BP (NYSE:BP) is one of the worlds largest oil and gas companies in terms of production capacity. In 2009, the companys exploration and production segment produced approximately 2.53 million barrels of oil per day as well as 8.48 million cubic feet of natural gas per day while the companys refining throughput averaged 2.28 million barrels/day. BP expands its production capacity through improved rig equipment and technology as well as expansions into other countries. As of April 2009, BPs operates in 29 countries including Mexico, Russia, Algeria, and many others in the Middle East and Africa. While BPs global reach gives the company an ability to access untapped reserves, many of its operations are exposed to political risk in those countries. In particular, BPs Russian operations faced significantly managerial problems in 2008, but these tensions eased in January 2010 with the appointment of Maxim Barsk to CEO. BP has been involved in a number of environmental, safety and political controversies during its history, including the 1965 Sea Gem incident and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Its primary listing is on the London Stock Exchange and it is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It has a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange. BP on the Sustainability: Before we predict BPs position in future, let us first have look in to its present position and future plans for protection of environment, commitment to society and efforts towards economical growth and sustainable development. Present: BP operates responsibly with better corporate governance and management systems. BP strives to deliver secure and affordable energy while addressing the global issues and climate change. Efforts are made to develop large scale business towards the production of alternative energy sources with low carbon emissions. BP has given utmost importance to safety reliability of operations. But the accidents and fatalities have not been on reducing trend, which can have a major impact on it sustainable growth. BP focused on low carbon or green house gas emissions, biofuels, and operations that can emit fewer pollutants. People Management: There is clear focus on training development of the workforce and reward and recognition system but there is no clear evidence of integration of people development with its diversified business requirements. Community Initiatives: BP has made efforts to build a strong mutually beneficial relation with society wherein they work. Future Plans: In BPs business strategies especially for the sustainable growth, there are many ways forward, but certain parameters are clear. The response must be integrated, global and balanced in terms of social, economic and environmental solutions. BP plans to focus on major public policy issues such as climate change, environmental protection and human rights. The future plan is to show that everything that is done, and every product and service that are provided, is delivered in an environmentally and socially sound manner. The challenge is to adapt, to become more sensitive to the wider world with change in environment. The future plan mainly boils down to the environmental protection and economy growth. BP needs to integrate its future strategies in all its business units to bring the transparency for verification against a common factor on a single platform. There is a clear focus on developing value leaders in future with strong HR strategies. The focus is more on integrating the HR policies across its operations to improve the skills and knowledge of the people. IT must also help BP to develop future leaders who can be visionary to achieve sustainable growth. Even though future plans of BP clearly focus on economy development, workforce development and environmental excellence but the community development appears to be in the last bench of the agenda as the concrete evidence of plans to reach Phase 4 or 5 of the sustainability model is not available with respect to community development. BP Today: Today BP displaying the following characteristics: Systemic plan to integrate human resource functions to reduce cost/increase efficiency Focus on value add training/development opportunities i.e. waste reduction, lean principles Undertakes community projects where cost-benefit can be exemplified. BP The Good Days By the early 1990s, a newly envisioned BP appeared to be adopting a strategic approach (Phase 5) towards sustainability. Like its competitor Shell, BP too strategically placed itself to move beyond petroleum. It committed itself in inventing alternative energy sources and technologies. It also committed itself to the Kyoto Protocols and greenhouse gas emissions. BP also ventured into social and community sustainability efforts, working towards enhancing the efforts in the respective local communities. These efforts were incorporated to its corporate strategy as part of five broad spectrum of business policy: ethical conduct, employees, relationships, health, safety, and environmental performance, control and finance. BPs vision was to market itself as the greenest fossil fuel producer in the industry: Their Beyond Petroleum won two PR Week campaign of the year awards and the gold Effie from the American Marketing Association. Ogilvy, the firm behind the slogan ironically still boasts of Beyond Petroleum as a successful case study in its website. BP CSR Disaster: Unfortunately for BP, the carefully marketed CSR plan went awry with the gulf oil spill. The oil spill taught the world rather brutally, that the heart of the relationship between BP and society did not lie in honest commitments. Chastened by the Exxon Valdez disaster, BP along with every player in the oil industry became rather religious on CSR initiatives. CSR actually poses a problem in such a situation in that it muddies the waters. Beyond Petroleum, the marketing campaign was the result of painstakingly long plan spread over years-but that was all it was, a carefully constructed marketing plan for external stakeholders that suggested CSR was at the heart of BP, but did little to show any evidence of it. BPs isnt out there to lead the green revolution. Their actual business is to make money for its shareholders; in BPs case by producing energy, mainly from fossil fuels. Today, not only has their motto come under external pressure, but has also instigated soul-searching within BPs ranks. Todays marketplace demands a lot more from corporations to establish long term sustainability. It should begin with a basic principle: A successful company must embrace corporate responsibility in all its forms-both internal and external. While BP did an excellent job externally for many years (see Sustainability Portfolio below), it requires much more in-depth introspection from management to get the internal vision re-aligned. Strategies of BP Today BP has a sound platform on which to achieve their commitment to combine growth with the discipline of performance and strategies. So the concept of sustainability is already part of business today. But it also demands a deeper, broader, more creative level of engagement than conventional environmentalism. Climate Change, demographic change and poverty are the three major trends that will set the corporate sustainability worldwide The BP has challenge to create a future energy mix that meets three of these objectives sufficiency; security; and sustainability of the energy. But there are hard political choices involved in agreeing to cut emissions and accepting the implications for energy. The company drives the necessary innovation or deployment of emerging low carbon technologies in the operation. In the drive for efficiency, BP will collaborate with the vehicle manufacturers on advanced engine technology and lubricants and provide better and cleaner transport fuels through less energy intensive processes and increase the energy efficiency of their facilities and equipment BP was the first energy company to be widely recognised as accepting the obligation to act on climate change. They have invested nearly $4bn in low carbon business since 2005 and commitment to invest $8bn in alternative energy in coming years. BP are creating long-term options for the future in new energy technology and low-carbon energy businesses. They will be also enhancing capabilities in natural gas, which is likely to be a vital source of relatively clean energy during the transition to a lower-carbon economy and beyond. BP will utilize the best talent inside and outside the company to develop and apply the technology associated with their business challenges. They have the right people in the right places with the right skills. They have developed a new leadership framework and extensive training programmes to build the professional skills of employees, BP will focus on operations and fostering a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement across all their activities. BP is a diverse and inclusive company where everyone can achieve their potential. BP will be able to demonstrate clearly how technology improves performance and improve the safety factor. BP will able to reduce its hydrocarbon emissions to water and hydrocarbon emissions to air, the burning of waste gas, carbon dioxide emissions, emissions of non-greenhouse gases, such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides significantly.. BP will be using its landholdings as a base for solar generation of electricity. BP focus is on four key businesses: biofuels, wind, solar and carbon capture and storage. Their goals are no accidents, no harm to people and no damage to the environment. Company will work to achieve this through consistent management processes, ongoing training programmes, rigorous risk management and a culture of continuous improvement. Community development must be focused on BP as an integral part of CSR rather than initiating just as a compensatory act for the damage caused to public and environment. As a company with extensive operations in developing nations, some whose BPs own revenues surpass, it needs to carefully manage aspects such as human rights approach and maintaining ethical business practices. BP would be stick with its commitments towards safety concerns, security, safe operations and accountability in all the locations. BP shall plans to further improve operating and cost efficiency right across the company, from refineries and marketing operations in the downstream to procurement, drilling and project management in the upstream efficiency and reduce costs for profit growth. BP will develop the culture of innovation in all their operations. BP continues to access new business opportunities, with new agreements in other countries. To increase its financial flexibility, BP shall plans to reduce its debt, now about $23 billion, to $10 billion within 18 months. BP has to establish new ways of communication with all stakeholders to improve the brand image and reputation across the globe. BP shall view the corporate governance as a strategy for long run sustainable growth and survival. They should also ensure that board should be structured appropriately to ensure the implementation of rules, regulations, ethical, moral principles and obligation in all activities. It is essential to achieve high standards in all three elements of the triple bottom line agenda economic, environmental and social performance. Focusing on any one at the expense of the others is not sustainable. BP shall build competitive advantage by procuring and multiplying resources create abilities over them and developing synergy of resources and capabilities. Core competencies enable BP to formulate strategies and draw strategic action by converting competencies into profitable business activities. Suggested Future Strategic Concepts for BP: BP should plan to re-conceive its product portfolio and the market it is being catering to till date. Taking a holistic view of the market, BP should mould the goods to cater to the energy needs of the community and not just oil or natural gas. Presently BP defines its productivity by production rate i.e. MT/annum. However, we would suggest that real productivity of BP product can happen when the firm follows up its product till its life cycle. It has already started activities in this direction by entering into strategic alliance with vehicle manufacturers. But it needs to take shape. Actual productivity definition for BP should be Amount of energy converted to actual use by the community per MT of fuel provided by BP. Say for example a Diesel Engine operated by Heavy Fuel (a product of BP) operates at about 30 to 35% efficiency. 10,000 Kcal of Energy provided by the oil is converted to just 3500 Kcal of another form of energy which again is not utilized to 100%. Hence BP should redefine productivity so that the benefit is directly transferred to the community. Such activity would be a win-win situation from BP as well as society at large. BPs one of the strategic management thoughts should be to secure its own future competitiveness. Given the finite life of natural fossil fuel, BP should start its activities in thinking differently on each different use of fuel. Let us take an example of transportation. All vehicles use fossil fuel. Scientists have already come out with hybrid cars, solar cars, compressed air cars, etc. BP should actually go a big way in developing Anti Gravity Cars. We all see UFOs and Flying Discs, etc. Can this earth not produce such vehicles? This is no fancy idea, BOAC have a specific RD drive for such vehicles. They already have achieved some success lifting about 3gm material. Ultimately, we aim at developing competencies by BP in a wider scope of business which would then not get jeopardized due to depleting finite resources. Improvement in Corporate Governance has to reinstate the confidence in community which has shaken up due to past disasters. The pace of expansion activities has overshot the governance speed. Here comes the role of strategic leadership. Two of the key qualities of an effective leader are to anticipate and envision. BP needs to provide more stress on these two aspects. We are aware that as and when there is a need, the fossil fuel prices are raised and there is no one to question them. BP should analyze in further details as to what extent the suppliers contribute to the competitive dynamics of oil business (this is one of the key pillars of the Porters 5 force model and extremely relevant one for BP). A simple coordination between the oil rig, VLCC and met department can effectively reduce cost to BP substantially. Many times this is not done because there is no stringent specific target or cap on total cost of product/MT. This effort will not only help BP outperform its competitors, but also can pass on the benefit to the customers for benefit of the community.

Essay About Family: My Fathers Illness :: Family Relationships Sickness Papers

My Father's Illness As a child, life was great for me. I spent my days being a hyperactive boy, running around and causing general chaos on my two sisters, Kelly and Libby. The world I lived in was a stress free world, I had not had many difficult experiences growing up. Life was beautiful for me, until a tragedy struck my family. My life got stressful on first day of second grade. I remember getting off the bus, eager to tell my parents all about what it felt like to be in second grade. As I walked in the door, I could feel that something was wrong. It was something in the air, a depressing mood. Instead of being greeted by a house of warm response, it was silent. I shouted for my parents and searched around, finally finding them in their bedroom. As I walked in to their bedroom, I found my mother sitting on the bed, weeping quietly, while my father lay on the bed in a near unconscious state. This sight shocked me, I had seen my father sick before, but by the reaction of my mother and the deathly look on my father’s face I knew that something was seriously wrong. My father's eyes opened, and he called out for my sister Kelly and I to come to him. In a very serious and sad voice, he told us that he was very sick, and he was going to the Fort Wayne hospital. My mother told Kelly and I to help her pack some things for him, because he was going to be leaving soon. We helped her pack, keeping quiet because we did not want to interrupt the silence that had taken over the room. A family friend, Rose Widmer, came over as my mom and dad were getting ready to leave. She would be staying with us because it looked like they would not be coming home that night. As Kelly and I were eating our supper, my mom came into the kitchen and sat down beside me. She explained to us that our dad was very sick, and that he was having trouble with his brain. She used the term "brain abscess." She said that this is what the doctors speculated was wrong with him, but they needed to go to Fort Wayne to take precautions. Essay About Family: My Father's Illness :: Family Relationships Sickness Papers My Father's Illness As a child, life was great for me. I spent my days being a hyperactive boy, running around and causing general chaos on my two sisters, Kelly and Libby. The world I lived in was a stress free world, I had not had many difficult experiences growing up. Life was beautiful for me, until a tragedy struck my family. My life got stressful on first day of second grade. I remember getting off the bus, eager to tell my parents all about what it felt like to be in second grade. As I walked in the door, I could feel that something was wrong. It was something in the air, a depressing mood. Instead of being greeted by a house of warm response, it was silent. I shouted for my parents and searched around, finally finding them in their bedroom. As I walked in to their bedroom, I found my mother sitting on the bed, weeping quietly, while my father lay on the bed in a near unconscious state. This sight shocked me, I had seen my father sick before, but by the reaction of my mother and the deathly look on my father’s face I knew that something was seriously wrong. My father's eyes opened, and he called out for my sister Kelly and I to come to him. In a very serious and sad voice, he told us that he was very sick, and he was going to the Fort Wayne hospital. My mother told Kelly and I to help her pack some things for him, because he was going to be leaving soon. We helped her pack, keeping quiet because we did not want to interrupt the silence that had taken over the room. A family friend, Rose Widmer, came over as my mom and dad were getting ready to leave. She would be staying with us because it looked like they would not be coming home that night. As Kelly and I were eating our supper, my mom came into the kitchen and sat down beside me. She explained to us that our dad was very sick, and that he was having trouble with his brain. She used the term "brain abscess." She said that this is what the doctors speculated was wrong with him, but they needed to go to Fort Wayne to take precautions.

Chivalry :: essays research papers

When Chivalry first began, many citizens felt this was mostly for the courtship of women. However, this also included such things as proper etiquette at the dinner table, generosity toward females, and the aspect of religion to the church. Becoming a knight was not an easy task at all. The whole process was more of an apprenticeship program like in today’s society. First, at about the age of seven, you were to go to the house of a noble and be their squire. Throughout this period, the young man would gain wisdom as well as skills he would need to develop in battle to become a successful knight. The boy would continue being a squire until he had mastered the use of weaponry and horsemanship and was then recognized by a knight. Then the young man would be "dubbed" a knight. Later in the Thirteenth Century, the process of becoming a knight became more ceremonialized, as we know of in our society from movies and such. The same process used in Medieval times was adopted and "modernized" for today’s workplace. For instance, the new employee is hired, then he learns his/her job. Once he/she is recognized for good work he/she is promoted to a higher level job. Another expectation the knights had to perform was to protect and uphold justice. This meant protecting the poor and innocent people of the land while proclaiming the ideals of Christianity at the same time. This concept originated in France and Spain, and spread throughout Europe very rapidly. The chief chivalric virtues were piety, honor, valor, courtesy, chastity, and loyalty. The knight was to be loyal to god, who was the main love of his life. Their idea of love in this case was different then ours. Their love to God was strictly platonic.

“High Tide in Tucson” Barbara Kingsolver Essay

This Essay is from her book of essays â€Å"High Tide in Tucson† in which Barbara Kingsolver shares her beliefs and her commitments – specifically, in family, community, the common good, cultural diversity, the world of children, and child rearing, which she lets in or rushes out to embrace all the wonders, beauties, threats, and angers that life and earth can offer. It also touches on many aspects and nuances that make life worth living; she is able to draw from her experiences to teach others the many life lessons that she has learned about child rearing. This excerpt from her book has a very personal tone; this closeness makes her story more realistic and believable. It is this sincerity and openness that makes the story warm. The author has been known as an advocate of nature. She devotes much respect to the other inhabitants of her world. Not only does she love Nature for the sake of life, but she is also is a mother fiercely trying protect the world’s natur al beauty for her daughter to relish. There is much life throughout this writing and she does a great job of portraying things as they are, without many of the biases that we find in society today. â€Å"Raising children is a patient alchemy,† she declares; Most important are Kingsolver’s reflections on her mission: because it aims to convey truths we know but can’t feel, â€Å"good art is political, whether it means to be or not. The attention she brings to the natural world in her writing accomplishes what good writing should: it expands the universe and brings critical attention to things we might otherwise take for granted or never have even thought about. I’ve read a few of her essays and they are human and believable. (I.e. her feelings and thoughts about alternative families, feminism, sustainability and the environment) about; her 2-year-old daughter’s acts of defiance, and occasionally frustration at the state of the world in which we live she does so with passion. The essay gives a warm tribute to our animal nature and its ability to tune itself into the natural rhythms of life, despite ourselves and our absorption in a world full of wants.