Tyuij

About hotel pokhara grande Hotel Pokhara Grande is a luxurious five-star hotel situated in the city about 1. 5 km walk from Phewa Taal (lake). Since its inception in 01/07/2007, the hotel has been catering to the needs of our diverse patronage with a complete hospitality experience being our motto. Whether it is a relaxing retreat with world-class accommodation and food or perhaps a conference with a banquet you’re after, rest assured your expectations will be surpassed at Hotel Pokhara Grande. The hotel now has forty-one(41) rooms added to the already existing seventy-eight (78).Enjoy the pristine views a well-manicured garden, state of the art equipment and professional staff in our facilities. If you’ve chosen Pokhara Grande you will experience only the best. About Pokhara The City of Pokhara is located approximately one hundred and ninety-eight km (198km) west of Kathmandu. It is a delightful destination for tourists seeking adventure, be it Himalayan expeditions, t reks, rafting, kayaking, paragliding or a peek at the surrounding villages’ life and amazing sights comprising of lakes, waterfalls, mountains, caves and temples. Getting There There are countless options available to get from other major hubs of Nepal to Pokhara. For example†¦You can fly, use a bus (of which tourist coaches are pretty comfortable) or rent a vehicle. Approximately twelve to fifteen flights operate from Kathmandu to Pokhara. | Facilities : Swimming Pool Splash about in our pool and beat the summer heat perhaps sipping an exotic cocktail while you watch your little ones have fun in the kiddies’ pool. |   | Spa Pavitra Give your body the ultimate treat at Pavitra.The team at Pavitra pride themselves in having mastered and administered professional massages using top-notch techniques and paraphernalia such as herbal oil concoctions will soothe your senses. Besides you could choose to use the sauna or have a steam bath or have water jets massage you in the Jacuzzi. Once our new location is complete, Pavitra will become one of the finest spas in Pokhara and all of Nepal. Some of the treatments they provide are listed below:Our spa treatments: Acupressure or Shiatsu: Derived from Japanese â€Å"Shi† and â€Å"atsu† mean ‘finger pressure’.It’s a psychological and physical treatment by applying pressure on various pointsAroma Therapy: This style enhances relaxation in general and improves circulation, relieving muscular tensionAyurvedic Massage: Retrieves nutrients within the body to expel toxinsHead and Shoulder Massage: Increases flow of blood to the scalpShirodhara: Involves warm and consistent flow of aromatic oils on the foreheadOther massages: Traditional Nepali massage, Reiki healing, body scrub, stone therapy, Thai massage, Trekkers’ massage|   Ã‚  | Gymnasium Our  gymnasium  is part of the most premier health club in Pokhara.The gym has stgate of the art equipment and well-app ointed congenial staff have the expertise to guide you towrds a thorough and befitting workout. |   | Other Facilities Ample Parking Spage, Business Centre, Travel Desk, Free Shuttle Service to Phewa Taal ( lake) List of Facilities 😠 Room Facilities | Air conditioning| Hairdryer | Restaurants| Satellite TV | Room Services | Coffee shop | Banquet & Conference | Business center | Safe deposit box| Telephone | Bar| Shopping Arcade| Leisure and other facilities | Babysitting |   | Car rental | Currency exchange|   |   | Florist |   |   | Laundry   services |   |   | Swimming pool|   |   | | | Tariff : Room| Price| Meal| Single| 85|   Lunch – US $ 12| Double| 100|   Dinner – US $ 12| King| 140|   | Extra Bed | 30|   | |   |   | Accommodation in Kathmandu: | Soaltee Crowne Plaza| 5 Star | Vaishali  Hotel | 4 Star | Hyatt Regency | 5 Star | Royal Singhi Hotel| 4 Star | Hotel De'L Annapurna | 5 Star | Hotel Manang| 3 Star | Yak and Ye ti Hotel   | 5 Star | Hotel Tradition   | 2 Star   | The Everest Hotel | 5 Star| Tirupati Holiday Inn   | 2 Star   | Radisson Hotel| 5 Star | Hotel Buddha | 1 Star | | Accommodation in Nagarkot 😠 Club Himalaya| Hotel View Point | | | Accommodation in Lumbini 😠 Buddha Maya Garden| Hotel Yeti   |Hotel Lumbini Garden | Hotel Glasgow | Hotel Nirvana   Ã‚   |   | | | Accommodation in Pokhara 😠 Hotel Khukuri Pokhara| Hotel Blue Heaven | Shangrila Village Resort | Hotel Moonlight Resort | Fish Tail Lodge     | The Fulbari Resort   | Hotel Barahi | Hotel Dharma Inn | Hotel Tulshi|   | | | Accommodation in Chitwan 😠 Chitwan Jungle Lodge| Machan Wildlife Resort   | Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge| Temple Tiger | Island Jungle Resort   Ã‚  Ã‚   | Unique wild Resort| | | Accommodation in Dhulikhel 😠 Dhulikhel Lodge Resort| Mirabel Hotel Resort | Himalayan Shangri-La Resort |   | | | For More Information: [email  protected] com| | | |

Malcom X Summary

Malcolm X’s Prison Education Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister who, as a teen, spent most of his time hustling people and getting into trouble. This soon landed him in prison. During his prison sentence he became self-educated, which led him to be an articulate speaker, to discover the true history of African American slaves, and to become a strong advocator of human rights. Malcolm X’s â€Å"A Homemade Education†, starts off in a soft and calm tone. X uses a persuasive style narrative from the Autobiography of Malcolm X to share his story.By the end of the essay his tone has changed to a more angry and demanding style. While in prison, X explains how he began writing letters to Mr. Elijah Muhammad, a Muslim leader, but, not being able to write in an articulate manner, X began getting frustrated because he could not express what he wanted to say. He also states that he could not keep a conversation with his prison friend Bimbi or even understand t he books he read because of his lack of knowledge.X says that he got a hold of a dictionary and began to copy word for word everything, learning more words and what they meant. He also says went to the prison library and read books about science, history, and slavery. X was most inspired by Mr. Muhammad’s teachings. X explains that in one of Mr. Muhammad’s teachings, Mr. Muhammad stressed how history had been â€Å"whitened,† in other words, that black history was left out of history books (95). He says he immediately began to search in the library for books that would inform him about black history.He says he read many books about black history and the early struggles for freedom. X states he will never forget how shocked he was when he read about the brutality of slavery or the illustrations of black slave women being tied up and beaten, children being taken away from families, and dogs hunting down slaves. X explains how he read books about the histories of v arious nations and learned that the white men had made all non-white people suffer, especially in India and China.He explains how the British white man controlled much of India and how people of India refused to obey orders and were beaten and killed. X also explains the Opium War in China and that some observers in China have reported that the world had never known such a hate campaign as is now going on in this non-white country (98). Reading about the various histories of the world, X found a common theme; white men were not liked by many civilizations. X states that he never knew that reading in prison would change the course of his life.He says his homemade education has given him more than a college degree could ever give him and that it is worth more than a college education because it is knowledge that no one can take away from him. Malcolm X states he has learned a lot from his reading about black history, he stresses that black men should not only fight for civil rights, b ut they need to think bigger and win their human rights. Works Cited X, Malcolm. â€Å"A Homemade Education. † The Conscious Reader. Ed. Caroline Shrodes, Michael Shugrue, Marc DiPaolo, Christian J. Matuschek. Glenview, IL: Pearson Education, 2011. 92-100. Print.

Causes and effects of the Credit Crunch

Causes and effects of the Credit Crunch The words credit crunch have been all over the financial headlines in the UK, including the effects that has hit the financial markets both in the UK and in other parts of the world have been reflected in a number of ways, affecting both financial institutions(banks) and consumers. Several authors and regulators have showed their different views about the causes and effect of credit crunch. Many economists studying the credit crunch explain it as a cyclical fall in credit demand. What is credit crunch? Bernanke and Lown (1991) define a credit crunch as a decline in the supply of credit that is abnormally large for a given stage of the business cycle. Credit normally contracts during a recession, but an unusually large contraction could be seen as a credit crunch. From Investopedia; credit crunches are usually considered to be an extension of recessions, also making it impossible for companies to borrow because lenders are scared of bankruptcies or defaults, which results in higher r ates. The consequence is a prolonged recession (or slower recovery), which occurs as a result of the shrinking credit supply. The credit crunch is also known as the credit crisis and is represented by a reduction in the general availability of loans which leads to sudden tightening of the conditions required to obtain a loan/credit from banks. Also, a broader definition of a credit crunch has been summarized by the Council of Economic Advisers (1992):A credit crunch occurs when the supply of credit is restricted below the range usually identified with prevailing market interest rates and the profitability of investment projects. Amongst the things affected in the UK as a result of the credit crunch are: Liquidity: The atypical flow of money looking for a home went into the West’s economies. Trade surpluses were recycled in the early part of the decade. This stimulated the â€Å"search for production of labor† and, in turn, the uncertainty in price of risk as investors imagined the high returns they were offered were safer than they proved. E.g. In September 2007, during the financial crisis of 2007-2010, the Bank had borrowed from the Bank of England a sum of about  £13 billion, a liquidity support facility, this showed that the total amount was a loss of deposits. which followed problems in the credit markets caused by the US sub- prime mortgage financial crisis. And it was of great shock that could be avoided to the bringing down of Northern Rock was a risk. However, the result of two unsuccessful offers to take over the bank, not being able to achieve the repayment of taxpayers’ money. This made the Government immediately take possession, away from its shareholders. Also reported cases showed some shareholders had their life savings in the shares, which were taken from them. Sub-prime lending: This covers different types of credit, including mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards. Sub-prime loans allows the opportunity for borro wers with a less-than-ideal credit record (considered as people with bad credit history)to be home owner. Some of theses lenders may use the credit in purchasing homes,sometimes in financing other types of spendings e.g. paying for living expenses, remodelling a home, or even paying down on a high-interest credit card or purchasing a car. Sub-prime lending (mortgages to be precise)provides a method of â€Å"credit repair†. Also with the interest rates low and liquidity in plentiful supply, financial institutions and businesses did not bother with adequate checks before, lending billions, who they realise could not afford repayments when some of this types of credits came with high interest rates, increased fees and costs which was a major cause for credit crunch.

Anti-Social Behaviour Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Anti-Social Behaviour - Literature review Example Furthermore, there have been reports of increased problems and incidences associated with anti-social behaviour which has risen substantially over the years. It is on account of this reason that there has been a sea change in the management of housing and accommodation, with the result that the residents are now increasingly demanding a better say in the decisions especially in the areas which have a direct and/or indirect impact on their way of lives and are now demanding greater representation and participation in the local authority’s decision making process. Their overall expectations with regard to public safety have also increased greatly due to the perceived threats to their quality of life, on account of increased incidences of anti-social behaviour. The changes in the external environment has further led to a sea change in the management practices adopted and implemented by the local authorities and other public sector departments involved in provision of services within housing and accommodation sector. There have been various policies implemented at the national, state as well as local levels to ensure public safety in residential areas, thus indicating wide spread reforms brought about by the administration to enable the local, state as well as national authorities and governing bodies to combat and address the challenges posed by the rapidly changing dynamic external environment. Although there is no clear and concise definition of the term, it has been generally defined similarly by various researchers. For the purpose of this study the term anti-social behaviour is described as follows: The term anti-social behaviour has recently assumed great significance, particularly within the management of public housing and activities associated with the same. It is now increasingly being taken into consideration while framing policies and to categorically differentiate between crimes and social disorders of civil and/or

American cuisine overview of the culinary development of the Deep Essay

American cuisine overview of the culinary development of the Deep South - Essay Example Yet it feels very modern, and the chef’s plates — always visually striking — are meticulously composed. Impeccably sourced ingredients, often foraged or custom-grown, speak for themselves and of themselves† (Brenner). John Currence: Since 1992 John Currence’s Restaurant ‘City Grocery Restaurant Group’ has been the talk of the town in Oxford, Mississippi. He is one of those chefs that bring the southern cuisine to front lines. Although Pork is the main ingredient southern cuisine, Currence is one of those chefs whose main focus is not pork but he focuses on vegetables and seafood, he says he is on a mission to redefine southern cuisine not through traditional ways but by venturing in to new territory. In an interview Currence said, â€Å"My greatest desire is to rediscover the flavors I remember as a kid that my grandmother cooked, the sausage my grandfather made. I’m terrified I’m the last generation of guys that have those memories before GMO and GE veg† (Currence). His greatest inspiration comes through travelling and can be seen in his work, he goes against traditional recipes to create not a dish but a piece of art. Hugh Acheson: Hugh Acheson is a Canadian celebrity chef and restaurant owner. He currently owns three restaurants in Georgia. He is also the author of the book, ‘New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen’ published in 2011. He has worked in Ottawa, Mecca, San Francisco and taking these travel experiences he works on blending tastes from different cuisines. Although his cooking style is southern cuisine mainly, he opened a restaurant, 5 & 10 which mixes the flavors of southern food with European tastes; French and Italian cuisine. He defines his work as, â€Å"I like to pay homage to the history of the region and reflect the diverse cultures that exist in the South today through the food I cook† (Achesom).

Yank in The Hairy Ape Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Yank in The Hairy Ape - Essay Example He does not reveal much about his roots, but it is evident that his childhood was painful. In the pauses between his parents’ incessant fighting during which furniture got broken, he was made to attend church every Sunday morning, only to be forced to run away after his mother’s death, when he could not handle any more of his father’s beatings. His troublesome beginnings have taught him that he will be forced to fend for himself in this cruel world. However, since man is a social being and thrives on the interaction with other members of the society, he needs to belong. Yank equates this highly relevant notion of belonging with power and importance. When he believes he belongs to something, he gains strength and feels almost invincible, but when he is rejected by a group, he feels terribly weak. He also associates this sense of belonging with the usefulness and functionality of an individual. For example, the firemen belong to the ship due to the fact that they a re essentially responsible for the proper functioning of the ship. Despite the fact that he believes himself to be essential for this, the fact of the matter is that industrialization has reduced the human worker into a machine.

MANAGING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MANAGING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR - Essay Example A critical analysis and understanding of people’s personality is essential for ardent management of human behaviors especially in organizations large teams of employees. Hopcke (1992) argues that Jung’s typology test aids in assessing someone’s personality and understanding the influence of personal perception on life issues. In fact, it gives an insight of suitable carriers and opportunities available regarding an individual’s personality type. After carrying out the Jung typology test, the results for the questionnaire emerged as follows; moderate preference of introversion over extraversion (56%), slight preference of thinking over feeling(12%), slight preference of thinking over feeling (12%) and finally moderate preference of judging over perceiving (44%). The results are a prospect of my general personality and are important for assessing workplace behavior, interaction with fellow colleagues in the workplace, anger management and motivational factors. Essentially, personality has great influence on someone’s career and performance when assigned tasks. In fact, personality type is a crucial determinant of how an individual relate with coworkers and the type of career to pursue (Hollway, 1991). From the above outcomes, my personality is best suited to working in a quiet place and interacting with just few people or none. The personality type postulated by the above outcomes does not accommodate working in organizations with large number of employees. Unfortunately, most workplace settings involve several employees working together with the aim of accomplishing organizational goals. It is important to examine the personality types of employees in order to discover the place each individual can fit best. For instance, people with introverted personalities work best in a secluded location. On the contrary, people with extraverted personality are suitable working in teams and in areas involving interaction with huge crowds of

The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran Essay

The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran - Essay Example The magical words of the Gita have been taken all around the world, and have inspired millions of people. Therefore, there can be little doubt as regards its efficacy, timeless relevance and of course, its wondrous, practical simplicity. The allegory, the wonderful symbolization of the world in all its colors - makes the song of God one of the greatest and most relevant works of religion. And this allegory can be seen in the Gita itself - a study of the entire epic is not even necessary! So, it is important to analyze and understand the reason for the Bhagavad Gita's strong influence on our minds - which can be properly done only by studying the beautiful allegory that is used in the poem. The entire Mahabharata is itself full of symbols, if we look deeply. Whether it is Dhritarashtra's blindness, Yudhishthira's flying chariot, a brotherhood of five Pandavas as compared to an ocean of a hundred Kauravas - all these strange characterizations and symbolizations carry a distinct meaning in themselves. The most prominent symbols, however, are the incarnation of Lord Krishna on the Earth, and his subsequent role as a charioteer to the Pandava Arjuna - who has been depicted as Nara (Man). It is commonly understood that the discourse given by Krishna to Arjuna is the only thing that comes close to an Allegory - being interpreted as God teaching man some important ideals (very much like the ten commandments!), but that is simply not true - The allegory can be seen and felt the moment Arjuna panics at the time of the commencement of battle - Man panics when he has to do his duty. And here, Man is Arjuna and his duty is to participate in this war. From this moment on, we can observe a great deal of wonderful and intelligent symbolization the great poet Veda Vyasa has hidden in the Gita. ".take me to the middle of the battlefield, my dear Krishna, so that I may observe the armies facing each other." - Thus did Arjuna plead with his charioteer (after the conch of the commencement of the battle was sounded!). "Middle of the battlefield" "My Dear Krishna" "may observe the armies facing each other" "after the conch of commencement of the battle was sounded" - have these questions ever been raised NEVER! But the entire soul of the poem's allegory is contained in these words. The moment Arjuna panicked, the Lord smiled. The very setting of the Gita and the conversation between Nara (Arjuna) and Narayana (Krishna) is too bizarre and eccentric for words - but that setting makes the song of God "Timeless". The "middle of the battlefield" is actually a point in everyone's life, when one has to make a crucial, life-changing decision. Arjuna wanted a clear view of both armies, and that could be done only when he could stand at the middle of the battlefield, impartially. The symbol "middle of the battlefield" actually teaches us just that - to be completely impartial while making an important decision. One should never be carried away by senseless and overwhelming

The Essence of Arguments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Essence of Arguments - Essay Example These rules include distinguishing the premises and conclusions, presenting the ideas in a natural order and use of reliable premises (Weston, 2009). They also entail the use of definite and concrete language, as well as consistent terms and a single meaning for the terms used. Weston also addresses common logical fallacies in the final chapter of the book including ad hominem, ad populum, ad ignorantiam and ad misericordiam. I found A Rulebook for Arguments to be very informative and thought provoking. The non-Christian bias presented when arguing the existence of God was a little distracting for me. However, the book is an excellent guide to improving ones argument strategies applicable in both personal and professional environments. Managers are in a position that requires presentation of ideas to be adopted by the workforce. Therefore, it is necessary for managers to think critically, construct a sound argument and communicate their position effectively. In addition, the book is useful to any manager who intends to improve on their argumentation skills. The book is applicable to problem-solving since it emphasizes critical

Recruitment and retention for qualified staff Essay

Recruitment and retention for qualified staff - Essay Example Moreover, the power of switch over or turnover of the employees might get reduced thereby amplifying the process of retention. Hence, it might be stated that, effective management and control of the human resource is directly responsible for their retention and improvement. This might prove effective in enhancing the level of functioning and competitive leverage of the organization among other new entrants. Literature review According to Sass (2012), human resource acts as the main pillar of an organization. Without which, an organization may not function effectively for longer period of time. As a result, the dominance and effectiveness of the organization might get fader slowly and gradually in all aspects as compared to other rivals operating in the similar segment. Therefore, in order to retain such essential resources, human resource management is extremely essential. Human resource management is the process used in recruiting and presenting training programs to the employees wi thin an organization. Due to which, an employee might become more valuable and worthy for the organization in this age. However, to increase the effectiveness of the employees, they need to be offered with accurate type of job orientation and scheduling programs that might enhance the skills and talents of the employee as well as the total productivity of the organization. As a result, the level of dedication and performance of employees towards job responsibilities of them might get enhanced. It is extremely essential for an employee to enhance his wage rate as well as retention power among other fresh and talented individual of this recent age (White & Drucker, 2013, p. 345-378). Other than this, management of the organization also might try to recruit the exact person for the exact job, so as to enhance the level of efficiency and devotion of the employee. Side by side, it might also help in enhancement of the total productivity and profit margin of the organization in the market among others. Hence it might be depicted clearly that experienced and talented employees are the most valuable assets of an organization, without which it may not prosper in the market (Price, 2011, p. 345-489). According to Price (2011), human resource management comprises of recruitment, development and retention of the experienced and talented employees so as to accomplish the strategic goals and objectives. However, it might be possible only if the employees are presented with varied types of benefits and incentives as per their level of performances. This strategy might prove effective for the employees in enhancing its level of motivation and loyalty towards responsibilities and tasks. Due to which, the level of performance of the employees might get enhanced thereby improving its dominance among other junior employees of the organization. It might also prove helpful for the employee in creating a substantial position (just as a leader) in the organization among others. As a result, these employees (leaders) might help in resolving varied types of disputes thereby implementing uniformity and consistency within the organization. Thus, the level of retention of the experienced employees might get increased thereby reducing the level of attrition (Barrett & Mayson, 2008, p. 346-456). Therefore, retention or recruitment of the experienced employees might help in enhancing the level of productivity and total sale of the

A Roman Revolution Essay Example for Free

A Roman Revolution Essay It was May 30, 1347.  Ã‚   The city was once at the center of the world, and varying nations vied to pay homage.  Ã‚   Since that time, however, its institutions, its buildings, and its very name seem to have been forgotten by time.  Ã‚   Local nobility compete for control while the rest of the populace starved, and banditry thrived.  Ã‚   The religious shrines and public buildings were dilapidated, and worn out from neglect.   From this one day, however, and from one such ruin, issued a declaration from a man who stirred hope in people’s breast.   Ã‚   Cola di Rienzo, who in the course of time would ambitiously set himself up as a virtual dictator in the city, at that moment declared the restitution of the Roman Republic, to the cheers of an excited throng.  Ã‚   The restless crowd seemed far disconnected from the reality of a Holy Roman Empire, independent Italian city-states, Norman and Spanish sovereignty in the south, or the hundred more kingdoms and treaties that kept Italy divided and the Republic from becoming reality, but no one cared.   A brief, tragic drama began to unfold, taking hold of the city and its dreamer alike.  Ã‚   For a few months, the Roman Republic seemed to breathe life and its Dictator Rienzo came close to uniting Italy.  Ã‚   The smaller city-states and principalities all sent their delegations and intentions to forming a loose federation with Rome.  Ã‚   And the Dictator put ambitious reforms and decrees, which championed the cause of the people.   His pride, however, got the better of him, and he soon alienated the senators and the Church.  Ã‚   The senators amassed armies against him, and the Pope called to the people to reject him.  Ã‚   Having lost all his allies, he fled the city, wandering Italy to find people to rally for his cause.   Ã‚  Dejected, beaten, his spirit finally broken, he surrendered to the Pope in Avignon, and was allowed to return to Rome where the people could not long stomach his disillusionment and killed him as a traitor[1].   This brief Roman Revolution was an early experiment of that age to attempt the reconstitution of an age that seemed lost in time.  Ã‚   The people of the Renaissance, from the artisan to the poet, was fascinated with ancient Greek traditions and culture and created works of art that mimicked Classic styles.  Ã‚   Ancient texts were gathered from the libraries where it was copied and preserved, and crude attempts at translation were made to introduce these historical artifacts to the world.  Ã‚   Most of the entire Renaissance was electrified at the thought of the old â€Å"heroic† Roman Republic, and the Caesars and Ciceros that once walked the Forum.   In due course, this paper would seek to identify the sources of the ideology behind the Italian Renaissance’s fascination with the ancient Greco-Roman, and how it seemed to suit their needs.  Ã‚   The paper will then explain the various attempts to reconstitute the past in the present, and how close they were in succeeding.    Once more, a Roman World   The thought of a restored Rome was not unique to Renaissance thought.  Ã‚   Even as the western portion of the empire collapsed under the pressure of barbarian migrations, the eastern emperor Justinian drafted ambitious plans of gaining back the lost lands of Gaul, Italy, Spain and Africa. This having failed, the Frankish kings, and later the German emperors, stylized themselves as Caesars that had legitimacy given to them by the authority of the Pope and the acquiescence of the eastern emperor.   Italian dreams of Rome, however, had political and cultural context.   They loathed the plain ugliness of Gothic and barbarian architecture, and largely preserved the Roman tradition and culture.   They lamented Italian as a bastardized form of Latin, and deplored Dante’s use of the former as the vernacular. Italian writers, at the beginning of the Renaissance, began to collect ancient texts from faraway libraries[2].  Ã‚   Petrarch, the Father of the Renaissance, was the first of the writers to amass Greek and Latin texts, and encouraged a fellow writer, Boccaccio, to pore into Greek research.   Unique also in the Renaissance, was the way the ancient texts were interpreted. In the medieval ages, the various ancient works of art were interpreted in Christian context.  Ã‚   Pagan ideals and traditions were explained with a Christian theme. Thus, a Hercules-like figure would be used to represent Christ.  Ã‚   The Renaissance began to separate the contemporary Christian thought from the ancient texts, and began to appreciate the latter in their historical context. They read into classical texts their appropriate classical meaning; they did not allegorize Latin writings as one to justify medieval Christian Europe, but in the context of ancient Rome[3].   The thought of a united Italy was sometimes reconciled with the restoration of the ancient Greco-Roman tradition.   Ã‚  Rienzo certainly thought of this when he donned the garb of the old senatorial toga and declared the return of the Roman Republic. Petrarch saw it when he asked King Charles IV of Bohemia to unite all of Italy[4], and many might have seen it when the son Alexander VI, Cesare Borgia, began a long campaign to win back much of the lost cities of the Papal States.   Conclusion: Historical Myopia   For all the dreams and ideals of the Renaissance Italians, a Roman Republic could not be reconstituted from 14th to 15th century Europe.  Ã‚   The Holy Roman Empire, primarily, would not stand for a united Italy outside of their control or power, as they would, and have claimed, Italy as an integral part of the empire. Neither, however, can the Holy Roman emperors be able to unite Italy, as they become too embroiled in disputes with the Pope, who has nominal sway over the Italian city-states.  Ã‚   And the Popes, for all their universal spiritual authority, would not be able to wrest control of all of Italy from powerful independent Italian city-states, the Normans and the Spanish, the Germans and the French, and even the Greeks until their collapse in the latter half of the 15th century.   The Italian Renaissance sought to reintroduce ancient Greco-Roman thought into the mainstream, envisioning a past that was nobly glorious.  Ã‚   Several hundred years brings distance and unreality to history, even when taken from historical context.   The Italian city-states of the Renaissance was freer in practice with its people than the ancient Roman Republic, which countless times brought down reformer tribunes, and curbed attempts to relieve the proletariat in keeping the wealthy in their state.  Ã‚   The ancient Roman Empire was less free as the centuries passed, and its economy was in nightmarish shambles, a thought that the Renaissance Italians might have shuddered at.   In the end, the Renaissance Italians might have fallen in the same way their medieval counterparts have: to see the ancient culture in their contemporary values.   Certainly the Renaissance wanted to detach itself from the â€Å"barbarism† and disunity, which seemed to plague Europe, but the reforms of a Rienzo would have shocked the ancient Roman aristocracy, and Byzantine intrigue would be far closer to Roman court morals than the Renaissance Italian sensibilities.   A final word must be said of the Renaissance dream: in the 16th century, one man came closest to uniting Italy and much of Christendom under a loose â€Å"Roman empire†.  Ã‚   Politics and religion, in the end, got in the way, and Charles V of the Hapsburg dynasty and his successors would find himself humbled by an alliance of French, Turks, Protestants and even the Pope[5]. BIBLIOGRAPHY References Durant, Will. The Renaissance. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1953. Durant, Will, Caesar and Christ. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1935. Rice, Eugene Jr., The Foundations of Early Modern Europe, 1460-1559. New York: W.W. Norton and Company,1971. Krailsheimer, A.J., The Continental Renaissance: 1500-1600. Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1970. [1] Durant, Will, The Renaissance (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1953) 16-21. [2] Durant, Will, The Renaissance (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1953) 67-69. [3] Rice, Eugene Jr., The Foundations of Early Modern Europe, 1460-1559 (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1970) 72-76. [4] Durant, Will, The Renaissance (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1953) 46. [5] Krailsheimer, A.J.,   The Continental Renaissance: 1500-1600 (Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1971) 93-98.

An Examining Of The Great Commission Religion Essay

An Examining Of The Great Commission Religion Essay God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. Ill be with you as you do this, day after day, right up to the end of the age. (Matt 28:18-20 The Message) 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Â  20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matt 28:18-20 KJV) Introduction The Gospel of Matthew ends Jesus meeting with His apostles in Galilee. This was a special meeting and would change the course of world history in many ways. The meeting was foretold by Jesus in Matthew 26:31-32 : 31 Then Jesus said to them, You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. 32 But after I am raised up, hI will go before you to Galilee. This meeting was announced both by an angel (Matt 28:78) and Jesus Himself (Matt28:10). It was a meeting filled with mixed emotions. Some had run away and others had denied Him before His death. Now He stood before them, alive. Their reaction was to bow down in worship (Matt 28:16-17) I was a meeting in which Jesus gave His disciples a command that we now refer to a the great commission. Someone once said that this was seen by many Christians as the great suggestion, but it is a command that lies at the heart of the Church and from which she operates. The command ends with the beautiful promise that He would always be with them. This is not something to be ignored, but to be a constant part of the Churchs functioning as well as that of every believer. I will be looking at what makes this commission so GREAT. I Great in its Authority To Jesus was given all authority. As the creator, He is the One who has the original right to do all things: For by1 him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. And is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-1) What higher authority than the creator Himself to issue such a command. As our Redeemer, this authority is even more pronounced: who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(Philippians2:6-11) Jesus has all authority both in heaven and on earth(1 Pet 1:1-5, Eph 1:20-23). This is the authority with which He speaks and this is the authority to which we must react. Nobody has a higher authority. No government or organization can in any way cancel His authority. There is no political system or philosophy that is above His authority. The Bible;e says that He is above all the kings of the earth (Rev 1:5, Psa 2:1-12;110:1-6) Jesus certainly deserves our obedience to Him. He is speaking with an authority that is above this world. While humans can be fallible, Jesus can and will deliver on His promises. Even His promises comes with the highest authority (2 Pet 1:2-5) It is on the basis of such great authority that Jesus give the great commission. Not only great in authority, but also great in mission. II Great in Mission The mission is the focus, the direction in which we must travel. It is the mission that guides our wlak through life in obedience to Jesus. We are to make disciples. The word used here is the Greek word Matheteuo which is defined as to become a pupil; to disciple, i.e. enrol as scholar:be disciple, instruct, teach. We are to make learners, adherents and imitators of Jesus Christ. Even during His ministry on earth, Jesus was continually inviting people to become His disciples (Matt 4:18-22; 11:28-30). When inviting them, He expected them to become like Him : A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40) Jesus tells us how to go about making disciples. He gives us not only a command, but also the way to obey that command. Firstly by baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Baptism for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16) Baptism in water (Acts 8:35-38; 10:47-48) A burial of the old (Rom 6:3-6; Col 2:11-12) Secondly by teaching them to observe the things He taught and commanded. Baptism is only the beginning. Teaching must continue afterwards. This was the case with the early disciples (Acts 2:41-42). Jesus said that both baptism and ongoing teaching is what is essential to true discipleship. Not only great in authority, and great in mission, the great commission was also great in scope. III Great in Scope The command was FOR ALL NATIONS. They were to go into all the world and preach to everyone (Mark 16:15). They were to be witnesses to the utmost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). They were to leave no stone unturned so to speak. This was not limited to only Israel as we find in Matthew 10, but to every nation under the sun. While Israel had been the focus of Gods salvation plan up to that point, now, with the work of Jesus on the cross, all nations, Jews and non Jews could become fellow heirs to the Kingdom of God (Ephesians 2:11-22). Jesus wants us to think globally, not just locally. While we should not ignore our local community, we should also think of those outside our own small world. As human being we have a tendency to focus on our little reality. We do not look outside of the few people we know or encounter each day, and that is where we start with the Gospel, but that is no where is should stop. The work of salvation is available to all Gods creatures. All the various nations are a part of that creation and all have the salvation work of Jesus available to them as a gift of grace. The great commission has great authority, is great in its mission, great in its scope, and great in its promise. IV Great in its Promise Jesus said that He will always be with us. This promise is similar to the one He made earlier to His apostles: For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. (Matthew 18:20) It is similar to a promise He made to those who follow His commandments:: I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. k Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me swill be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world? Â  Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:18-2) It is a promise similar to the one God Gave to Moses (Exo 3:11-12) Joshua (Josh 1:5) The nation of Israel (Isa 41:10) I is a promise that provides comfort, especially in times of oppression (Rom 8:31-38; Heb 13:5-6) This promise is also to the end of time. It extends even to when the great harvest will occur (Matt 13:39-43). Throughout the Christian age, Jesus will forever be with His disciples as they go into all the world making disciples. Through the Holy Spirit, we receive the necessary gifts to not only encourage each other, but also to enable us to put the great commission into action. V Conclusion The great commission is not only limited to the apostles. It is important to note that the disciples were to observe all things that I commanded you. The disciples were also to observe this command along with all the other teachings of Jesus. The command does not stop with the original disciples, but carries on until the end of time. The great commission is a commission for the Church as well. The question is whether we are honoring the great commission in our lives today. There are some things we can do to check if we are: Are we submitting to the authority of Jesus? Are we working, in whatever capacity to make disciples of Jesus? Are we striving to make disciples in all the nations of the world? Are we abiding in His words and thereby making sure His abiding presence is in our lives? Shortly after Jesus gave the great commission, Jesus ascended into heaven. His earlier disciples took that commission and as a result did great things with it. As a final word I would like to add a poem written by Greg Steir, which puts the focus of our responsibility for the great commission into focus: Dont Bother Me Dont bother me with souls to save. I have my own agenda. Theres work to do, sports to play, Important things to attend to. Dont bother me with that little girl, The girl playing in the street. Shes much too young to understand The Saviour she could meet Dont bother me with my friend at work. Hes got his own religion. I dont have time to change his mind. Hell make his own decision. Dont bother me with the distant sounds I hear, The sound of people screaming. Although I wonder who they are. Who are these victims shrieking? Dont bother me with who they are. I really dont want the blame. For its the little girl and my friend at work Who from hell scream out my name. But dont bother me.

Domestic Abuse on Pregnant Womens Health

Domestic Abuse on Pregnant Womens Health Domestic abuse is a pervasive and preventable public health issue affecting many women around the globe with different race, ethnic, and socio-economic background. What is more devastating is the rate at which pregnant women are being abused. According to the literature, at least one in every five women is abused while pregnant. It is also indicated that these women experience life threatening maternal and fetal complications. The aim of this library research paper was to explore the effect of domestic abuse on pregnant womens health through an extensive review of secondary analysis of the literature. The paper also touched briefly on the ethical issues encountered by the healthcare professionals when dealing with an abused person. Domestic Abuse on Pregnant Womens Health Introduction The issue of violence against women, particularly against pregnant women is increasingly being recognized as an important and often devastating major health and social problem around the world with serious health consequences for the abused women and their children. Health care practitioners providing care to pregnant women need to consider how the experience of abuse in current or past intimate relationships could affect their clients health during pregnancy. Historical evidence indicates that there is a positive correlation between abused people and admittance to psychiatric institutions (March of Dimes, 2005). A high number of women if not all women who seek long term treatment from mental health institutions have histories of being abused previously. It is therefore, not surprising that in 1997, The Violence Prevention Task Force for the Region of Peel in Canada declared violence as the number one health hazard in the Region. Many of the studies and statistics which have been rev iewed from different literature support this declaration. For instance, a Canada-wide survey shows that 61% of women physically or sexually assaulted by their intimate male partners are injured in the attack (Solicitor General of Canada, 1997). Moreover, there is a belief that pregnancy is a joyous, and a period of complete and well-being in a womans life. A time of peace and safety, but unfortunately for most women this might not be the case. In an article by Hedin and Janson (2000), they mentioned that about 40% to 60% of women who are abused experience the abuse during pregnancy whilst 95% of those women abused during pregnancy were abused prior to getting pregnant. Throughout the literature, pregnancy is known to be a high risk period during which domestic abuse may start or escalate in situations where the women were already being abused prior to getting pregnant. Negative effects such as attempted or self induced abortions, therapeutic abortions, spontaneous miscarriages, and divorce or separation during pregnancy are closely linked with abuse. Other injuries reported by women due to domestic abuse are abrasions, contusions, lacerations and fractures. A Canadian study done in Newfoundland confirms the link between abuse and institutionalization of women in psychiatric setting. It proves that there is a high prevalence of woman abuse among psychiatric patients, reporting that 42% of the women currently being assaulted had been assaulted prior to their hospitalization (Carlisle, 2000). Another study indicates that the abuse of alcohol and prescription drugs is 3 to 5 times higher in women living in abusive relationships (Noel Yam, 1998). The gap between these studies is that they do not prove conclusive which act is the cause of what. Does the alcohol and prescription drug abuse cause the mental problem that result in mental institutionalizations, or is it the abuse that causes the alcohol and drug abuse, and subsequently, the mental health issues? One may argue that the issue of violence against women has been overblown and that the issue is private rather than public. The problem with this line of thinking is that the  health-related cost of violence against women in Canada is estimated at $1.6 billion dollars per year (Carlisle, 2000), and in the United States, an unbelievable $10 to $67 billion dollars a year in lost productivity, health care cost, and reduced family income. However, the actual cost involved with violence against women and their children is not adequately reflected by this amount. The high cost involved with dealing with the issue as well as the psychological, emotional and possibly, the physical cost the victims pay makes it an urgent social problem that demands vigorous and immediate attention. Therefore, it is our responsibility as citizens, and more especially as health care providers to help these women gain a greater quality of life by stopping abuse. As is most often the case, when a woman looks fo r help, her first contact is with a health care professional. Statement of Purpose The focus of this research paper is to conduct an in-depth literature review on the prevalence of domestic abuse, and identify the effects that domestic intimate partner or spousal abuse has on pregnant womens health. It will also outline some of the ethical issues concerning domestic violence that healthcare practitioners, specifically nurses may encounter when caring for abused pregnant women and how they can assess for abusive behaviours in pregnancy. In addition, the paper will provide the writer with additional scope and depth in this area and help in enhancing personal knowledge and skills as well as promoting professional creativity. Definition of Domestic Abuse According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, (PHAC), intimate partner violence or domestic abuse is not a single form of maltreatment. It comprises the entire collection of abusive behaviours such as sexual, emotional/psychological, financial, physical, and verbal when they are directed exclusively or mostly at the abusers spouse, mate, girlfriend, or boyfriend. Also for the purpose of this paper, domestic intimate partner abuse/violence is defined as any of the above mentioned behaviours experienced by women at the hands of their partners. Domestic abuse against women It is known that battering has cultural, social, economic and psychological roots. The unequal power between men and women relationship contributes heavily to the problem. In many different part of the world, domestic violence is firmly entrenched in the culture. At times violence against women is accepted by cultural and religious norms therefore, for men to use force on women is not considered an offense (Payne, 2006; Carcia-Moreno, Jansen, Ellsberg, Heise, Watts, 2006; Valladares, Pena, Persson, Hogberg, 2005). Women are traditionally in a position of being economically dependent on men. As a result, women have learned to be submissive, feel powerless, and respect the male dominance. The reported lifetime prevalence for abuse toward women is one in every three women in the world have been beaten, forced to have sex, or otherwise. There is still underreporting of this issue since battered women may be embarrassed about their situation because they feel that it reflects on their a bilities as a woman, wife and mother. The battered person expresses feeling anxious, depressed, and insecure and feels that she cannot live without the perpetrator (CDC, 1989). Sadly it was not until 1996 that the World Health Organization recognized domestic abuse or intimate partner violence as a public health and human rights issue. Violence against women has a long, dark past in both industrialized and non-industrialized part of the world. For example, once upon a time, the British common law allowed a male spouse to chastise his wife with any reasonable instrument (Frieze Browne, 1989). In North America, state laws and cultural practices supported a mans right to discipline his wife throughout the 1800s. It was not until 1895 that a woman can use the ground of domestic violence to divorce her husband. By 1994, the Violence against Women Act has been adopted and thus guided research of domestic abuse which generated social, legal and financial support for law enforcement and social services to protect battered women (Boyer, 2001). Violence by an intimate male partner against women manifests itself in the form of forced sexual intercourse, physical aggr ession, psychological maltreatment and controlling behaviours. Types of abuse Often times when we think domestic abuse the first thought is a woman has been beaten up by their partner. Not all domestic abuse actually results from a violent act. A woman does not need to be brutally beaten or bruised for us to suspect domestic abuse. An abusive behaviour can be in any form of the different abuse such as emotional or sometimes refer to as psychological, economic, physical and sexual. Review of both international and national literature suggests that between 10% and 52% of women experience or has experienced physical violence and 10% to 30% have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of the partner (Garcia-Moreno et al., 2006). Description of the types of abuse is provided. Physical abuse is defined as a deliberate application of force to a persons body (Statistics Canada, 2001, p. 11) which may result in a non-accidentally injury. Physically abusive behaviour can take many forms including hitting, slapping, pushing or anything that causes physical pain or discomfort. In the United States, an estimated 4 to 6 intimate relationships end up in physical violence each year and one in every three women would experience physical assault by an intimate partner in their adulthood. Also alarming is that 2 to 4 million of women in the U.S.A. per year are assaulted by an intimate partner (Newton, 2001). In the literature, it was reported by many women that the physical violence against them either began or escalated when they were pregnant or when their children were very young (Ulla Diez et al., 2009; Bostock, Plumpton, Pratt, 2009). This increase in abuse may be a result of the abuser having feelings of jealousy over the womans concern for another individual, e ven if it is an unborn or small child. Violence including physical abuse also affects both physical and mental well-being depending on how severe the attack or injuries were (Payne, 2006). Also economic and financial abuse is another form of domestic violence in which the abuser uses money to control his or her partner. A person is denied of financial mean when their partner refuse or when they are forbidden to work and if they are permitted to work, the abuser demands the abused individual to hand over their paychecks. This allows the abused partner to be dependent on the perpetrator for money. There are some economically abused women who are forced to beg their partner for everyday necessities such as food and/or health care. Furthermore many financial and economic abusers will put all of the family bills in their victims name in order to ruin their credit. Psychological abuse, also known as emotional abuse is another avenue for a batterer to use to assert power and control of the woman. According to Health Canada, there is no accepted universal definition of emotional abuse. This abusive behaviour is usually used to damage the persons sense of self-worth, perception, and independence. A person who is emotionally abused tends to experience verbal insults including name-calling, yelling, and threats and blaming. Social isolation and intimidation also consist of emotional abuse. What is more, emotional abuse may lead to physical violence. In the eyes of the public, emotional abuse may look less damaging to physical abuse due to the scars and bruises that physical abuse may leave. But despite it invisibility, emotional abuse cuts deep. To confirm, case-study interviews compiled by Statistics Canada with abused women suggest that for many women the cumulative impact of emotional abuse over a long period of time can equally be damaging as ph ysical violence (Statistics Canada, 2001). No abuse, physical, sexual, or financial happens without any element of emotional consequences. One Canadian study on abuse done with both College and University dating relationships revealed 81 percent of the male respondents admitted to emotionally abusing their female partners (Health Canada, 2006). In addition, sexual abuse is a pervasive form of violence against women. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sexual abuse is any forced sexual contact, intimidation, and trafficking including unwanted sexual advances and harassment (2003). Research have show that sexual violence is associated with number of adverse mental health outcomes such as post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety, eating disorder, drug and substance misuse, and suicidal behaviour (Payne, 2006; Galvani, 2007; Garcia-Moreno et al., 2006; Svavarsdottir Orlygsdottir, 2008). In her study Galvani (2007) determined that 40% to 80% of women who receiving treatment for substance abuse at a treatment centre have experienced domestic abuse some point in their life. Also based on a WHO report, one in four women may experience sexual violence by an intimate partner whereas the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence states between one-third and one-half of all battered women are raped by th eir partners at least once during their relationship. As high as 15% of women have experienced sexual abuse in their life time and fewer than 10% in the last 5 years have experienced sexual abuse. Whilst a multi-country standardized population-based survey by WHO report that between 15% and 71% of women were physically or sexually abused by their partner some point in their lives. However, numerical figures which represent all types of abuse against women underestimate the actual population experiencing it. Most women fails to report violent behaviour due to the shame, social stigma, and fear of repeated or escalation in abuse, as well as fear of material loss such as income. In other countries, women who report abusive behaviours tend to fear violence toward them from the authorities who are in place to protect them. A forced sexual activity even between intimate partners is still considered as violation of the persons human rights. Domestic abuse during pregnancy Violence against women by male partners and ex-partners is a persistent major public health problem resulting in injuries and other short and long term health consequences, such as mental illness and complications of pregnancy. Domestic abuse often happens when the woman becomes pregnant with the child. It often leaves the pregnant women engaging in harmful behaviors and practices correlating with poor pregnancy outcome. Various researchers have critically reviewed and completed analysis of studies that identify pregnant women at risk of intimate partner abuse. To my surprise, according to the Center for Disease Control, 4 to 8 percent of pregnant women (over 300,000) per year suffer abuse during pregnancy. Also, one Canadian study revealed that 6% to 8% of women had been abused while pregnant and 95% of them had experienced the abuse during the first trimester (Stat Canada, 2003). It is said that 40% to 45% of physical abused women are also forced to have sex (PHAC). It is estimated that 95% of the victims of domestic or intimate partner violence are women, and that two-thirds of all marriages will experience domestic violence at least once. Consequently, 4 million women a year are assaulted by their partners. Domestic violence is the number one cause of emergency room visits by women. The number one cause of womens injuries is abuse at home. This abuse happens more often than car accidents, mugging, and rape combined. Battering often occurs during pregnancy. One study found that 37% of pregnant women, across all class, race, and educational lines, was physically abused during pregnancy, and 60% of all battered women are beaten while they are pregnant. Interviews with pregnant women suggest that abuse during pregnancy is an important link between the well established overlap of intimate partner violence. Abuse in pregnancy can affect maternal health and infant birth weight. Most complications of pregnancy such as low weight gain, anemia, sexually transmitted infections, and first and second trimester bleeding are significantly higher for abused women (Saltzman, Johnson, Colley Gilbert, Goodwin, 2003; Martin et al., 2001; Kearney, Haggerty, Munro, Hawkins, 2003). When a pregnant woman is subjected to violence, it is certainly a threat to her own health, but it also puts the fetus at risk. A womans ability to protect herself and her unborn baby is limited by the abuser.   Abused women report alcohol and drug abuse, cigarette smoking, and insufficient nourishment. An analysis of articles written in this area demonstrated that the number of expectant women who are abused in a relationship is unknown and that the consequences range from physical injuries, emotional distress to maternal and fetal death. However, many of the literature identified pregnancy as a common risk factor for domestic violence, and estimate the prevalence rate of violence during pregnancy to be 0.9% to 28%. These studies also yielded information on various demographic and lifestyle variables that correlates with spousal abuse during pregnancy. For example, according to data (Espinosa, Osborne, 2002; Bostock et al., 2009; Garcia-Moreno et al., 2006; Valladares et al., 2005), younger women may be more at risk for abuse during pregnancy. The researchers found that young women may lack the life experience that could forewarn them of the seriousness of becoming involved with dangerous or violent individuals and may experience violence within a larger context related to their v ulnerability. As well as having an unplanned pregnancy. A population-based research confirms by indicating that women who had unplanned pregnancy were 2.5 times more likely to experience abuse than those who had planned their pregnancy (Whitehead Fanslow, 2005). Approximately about half of all these unplanned pregnancies in the US end up in termination. Parker, McFarlane, and Soeken (2000), found that 20.6% of teens reported abuse during pregnancy, in comparison to 14.2% of adult women based on a structured interviews of pregnant women ages 13 to 42. In addition, Persily and Abdulla, (2001), analyzed data from a pilot study conducted in rural part of West Virginia. In that study, pregnant women under 20 years old experienced domestic abuse at a shocking rate of 18.5%, compared to 9.4% for the pregnant women ages 20 to 29, and 4.4% for pregnant women 30 years and older. Furthermore, the relationship between alcohol uses, tobacco use and other substance abuse and domestic violence during pregnancy have been investigated. Persily and Abdulla noted there was a significant relationship between tobacco use and abuse but no significant difference were found between alcohol and illicit drug use and abuse of pregnant women. In contrast, Galvani, (2007), Parker et al, (2000), and Amaro, et al, (1998) found that more victims of domestic violence during pregnancy reported use of cigarettes, alcohol or other drugs than non-victims. The findings also suggested that abused pregnant women were significantly more likely to continue substance abuse during pregnancy. Another shocking finding was that, pregnant women who are in an abusive relationship tend to initiate prenatal care late in their pregnancy because of their partners controlling behaviour. McFarlane et al (1998) researched that abused women were almost twice as likely as non-abused women to begin prenatal care in the third trimester. Work by Persily and Abdulla (2001) showed that 38% of the women in their sample who were victims of domestic violence registered for prenatal class after 20 weeks of gestation, comparing to 23% of the women who were not abused. Moreover, majority of pregnant women experiencing domestic abuse simultaneously experience depression and anxiety (Collins, Thomas, 2004; Ulla Diez et al., 2009). According to Persily and Abdulla (2001), 83% of victims of domestic abuse during pregnancy report being depressed, and 89% report feeling anxious. Amaro and partners (1998) found that victims of domestic violence were more likely than non-abused pregnant women to be depressed during pregnancy, to feel less happy about being pregnant, and to have had a history of depression and attempted suicide. The question is: is it the abuse that results in the depression or the history of depression that manifest itself again at pregnancy? To combat and eliminate violence against women, especially expectant women, a variety of social support resources need to be available to women abused during pregnancy. In one Canadian study sample (Wathen, MacMillan, 2003), 8 of 109 women entering prenatal care who reported abuse shared a common source of social support. The eight women abused demonstrated a sole identification of non familial support people, whereas the remaining 101 non-abused women all identified family members as their source of support. In addition, Amaro et al (1998) reported an association between feeling a lack of support during pregnancy and higher rates of violence during pregnancy. Espinosa and colleague (2002) similarly states that women who were battered during pregnancy reported they had fewer people whom they could get together or discuss personal issues. However, in some international papers, women often felt that domestic abuse was a private family matter and should not be discussed. But based on the findings of Bostock et al., (2009), discussing relative safety from domestic abuse was dependent on whether there was empathy, understanding, shared experience, and effective help and protection offered by the support systems that were accessible to the abused victim. The implication is that, women who have contacts, such as, family, a close friend, legal, police, social and health services to contact stands a big chance of escaping abuse in their relationships; and that failing to recognize the unacceptability of violence against women were aspects of service that perpetuated abusive situations. It further indicates that, maybe it is the knowledge of not having anyone to cry unto that encourages men married to or in relationship with such women to abuse them. The information found highlighted that there is a need for further evaluation of domestic violence in pregnancy and related factors regarding the unequipped health, social and legal resources available to respond to women and domestic abuse. Moreover, there are gaps found on which limited or no research have been performed. First, studies of domestic violence during pregnancy using studies of population-based sampling of women and studies incorporating a variety of clinical settings are very limited. Secondly, more research is also needed on the best ways to assess for domestic violence and the ways in which its severity and chronicity can be assessed. As it is now, there is no study out there indicating how spread the phenomenon is and the long term effect that the abuse have on children born under these circumstances. No study has answered whether the abuse also stops after delivery or not. Further research about perpetrator-focused intervention is needed. The only tool we have now on dealing with perpetrators of domestic abuse is punishment. However, common sense dictates that this does not eliminate abuse. To combat it properly therefore, we need to have more researches into workable treatment for abusive men. These areas will be necessary to explore because it is an obligation for health care providers to consistently assess for domestic violence and to intervene appropriately when violent and abusive situations are acknowledged. Ethical consideration for health providers As part of their professional role, nurses, in their everyday lives make ethical decisions in their nursing practice. When dealing with domestic violence, nurses are bound to encounter ethical issues such as dilemma, distress, distributive justice, violation, and locus of authority. One of the greatest mysteries to many healthcare professionals attempting to help victims of violence from their intimate partners is the revolving door syndrome, which deals with the same victims who are admitted to care over and over again. The nurse may perceive this as an ethical dilemma, since the nurse may wish to break the cycle of the abuse but then the victim may not want any help. Their inability to fix the problem or what they perceive as womens failure to follow their advice and change their situation lead both the doctors and nurses feeling frustrated and powerless. The inherent frustration leads to comments such as you again? or Now, will you leave him, or Dont you get it? when victims arrive at the emergency department. The fact is, for all their good intentions, it is the professional caregivers who dont get it (McMurray, 2005). What they dont get is these women are not happy in the situation in which they find themselves; neither do they necessarily attract violent m en. They often just get caught up in a situation where they perceive that there is no way out. These women are often emotionally isolated and economically dependent on their abusers. The uncertainty of making it on their own outside of the marriage, and especially where children are involved, the fear of impoverishing or endangering the children forces the victims to stay in abusive relationships. As such, their main motivation is reducing the impact and frequency of the abuse rather than leaving the abuser (Bates Hancock, 2001; Lutenbacher, Cohen Mitzel, 2003). As a result, they become invested in the situation, and normalize it regardless of how difficult it becomes, even to the point of dismissing the threat of lethal violence (Nicolaidis, Curry, Ulrich et al, 2003). Carver (2003) a psychologist who has been trying to help victims out of this type of situation for over 30 years, describes this dilemma as a mix of the Stockholm Syndrome and cognitive dissonance. In addition to overcoming the dilemma, health care professionals working with an abused client may experience moral distress. The distress comes about when a person know the ethically appropriate action to take, but is unable to act upon it or when one acts in a manner contrary to their personal and professional values which undermines the persons integrity and authenticity (Redman, Fry, 2000). Moral distress can be a serious problem in nursing. It results in a significant physical and emotional stress, which contributes to nurses feelings of loss of integrity and dissatisfaction with their work environment. Studies demonstrate that moral distress is a major contributor to nurses leaving the work setting and profession. It affects relationships with patients and others as well and can affect the quality, quantity, and cost of nursing care (Redman, Fry, 2000). Further more, nurses may feel overwhelmed from the need to help in the case of domestic violence. However, they may be unable to follow their moral beliefs because of clients personal, cultural values, even societal or institutional restraints. For instance, for a pregnant woman in an abusive relationship, the right action to the health care worker is very obvious, yet the clients right to exercise autonomy and choice makes it impossible for the nurse to pursue the proper course of action without the victims consent. Another ethical issue that can occur in domestic abuse is distributive justice. According to Keatings and Smith, (2000), distributive justice is the proper distribution of both social benefits and burdens across society. Within the health care ethics, the relevant application of the principle focuses on distribution of goods and services. Unfortunately, there is a finite supply of goods and services, and it is impossible for all people to have everything they might want or need. According to Burkhardt and Nathaniel, (1998), one primary purpose of the governing systems is to formulate and implement policies about broad public health issues (example, domestic violence) that deals with fair and equitable allocation of inadequate resources. In 2002, the Ontario government announced its plans to spend more than $21 million to address domestic violence after the recommendation of the Hedley jury inquest in February 2002 (Cross, Ontario Women Justice Network, 2002, November). Evidently, in Ontario, the provincial government is trying to do something about this pervasive issue that have taken a toll in todays society, but the estimated cost of violence against women by the Middlesex-London Health Unit in 2000 was $4.2 billion annually ( Malone, 2005). Then clearly, the governments action is woefully inadequate and it needs to increase the funding if every domestic violence victim is to be catered for. Clinical decision-making and appropriate implementation of decisions in the clinical environment is an essential component of professional nursing practice. However, implementation of decisions requires a critical look into the distribution of authority in the environment. In domestic violence situations, the power in the house usually rests in the hands of the men. Breaking the cycle of violence therefore requires changing the dynamics of the power through education and interventions rather than any medical interventions. Also, although nurses have the clinical knowledge and desires to help their abused clients, however, the power of autonomy that the clients have makes it impossible for nurses to make decisions about victims without first consulting and getting their consent. This is very frustrating for nurses because no matter what they know and how much they want to help, they cannot do it if the victim says no. A factor influencing the nurse-physician relationship stems from the inequity in power relations between the two. Doctors exert direct power in the health care system, determining who will be admitted as well as the type of treatments to be performed. Nurses, although an essential component to the functioning of any health care organization and by far the most powerful group in terms of numbers, exert little authority in regard to initiating treatments for their clients. Nurses, because of their wholistic approach to health care tend to acknowledge that patients exist within social networks and that the relationships embedded in these networks are central to decision-making. As a result, nurses have a tendency to become concerned with the specifics of a situation and therefore, are slow to make decisions. On the other hand, doctors who are reductionist in nature are inclined to analyze problems, leaving details that nurses may believe are important out in their decision-making. Conse quently, they make decision with little or no collaboration, and based on little information about the client. For instance, because of their personal values and moral beliefs, nurses might believe abused women require more wholistic treatment whereas a physician might just treat the bruises. Furthermore, violence against women is a violation of human rights that cannot be justified by any political, religious, or cultural claim. A global culture of discrimination against women allows violence to occur daily and with impunity (Amnesty International, 2001). Domestic violence violates a womans right to physical integrity, to liberty, and all too often, to her right to life itself. These are universal human rights that every one everywhere is entitled to, simply by virtue of being human. Therefore, when states fail to take the basic steps needed to protect the basic human rights of women from domestic violence and allow these crimes to be committed with impunity, states are failing in their obligation to protect half of its citizens, namely women from torture. Conclusion Evidence through this library research indicates that, in some cases, domestic abuse perpetuated against women may be initiated when a wom

Moral Split and Respect Essay -- Morality Right Wrong Essays

Moral Split and Respect We will always find ourselves in â€Å"moral split† situations. We struggle to make the right decision and hoping that what we decide would be the correct choice. Sometimes our decisions are strictly depended on the notion of self-filling prophecy while others are for the sake of philanthropy. We are selfish if the chosen actions turn out to be a negative impact on the majority of people; however, the negativity is unforeseeable. If we know ahead of time that our decisions are going to be harmful to others then more likely than not we would have tried to avoid that complication. Then again, life is unpredictable. It is unpredictable just like the Vietnam War. Americans went into the war with culture relativism. They thought the decision to assist in the fighting against communism was the ultimate must. They sent young men blindly into a foreign land and were so positive that it was going to be an ideal outcome. If the Northern Vietnamese was defeated, then it might be a different story; however, the consequences they must face. On the other hand, the Vietnamese had two different perspectives of the war. The Southern Vietnamese believed that the Americans were angels sent from above to rescue them from the communists. The Northern Vietnamese thought that the Americans should mind their own business. We cannot say either views were right or wrong, rather, they were picked from the same moral standards but in different circumstances. The South, America and the North yenned for victory. They made decisions that each one truly believed to be the preeminent; therefore, no sides should be unnecessarily criticized. Similarly to us, they were making the right decisions based on personal valuations of ... ...ting will never â€Å"understand everything [and] would be incomplete forever† (249). The only understanding that these people are left with is the pondering of the possible outcome if they have chosen otherwise; not to fight. If that person truly believes that the war is the only way to solve the problem then that it would be ethically correct for him to be involved because morality is based on a person’s own judgment of what is right and wrong. On the other hand, if a person feels that is it wrong, without a doubt, then it is sad to believe that he chooses to go against his morals. Works Cited Johnson, Brendan B. â€Å"The Movie Quotes Site: The Deer Hunter.† (1997). 6 Dec. 2003 . Dirks, Tim. â€Å"Greatest Films: The Deer Hunter.† (1996). 6 Dec. 2003 â€Å"IMDb: Full Metal Jacket.† (1990). 6 Dec. 2003 â€Å"Amazon.com: Apocalypse Now Redux.† (1996). 6 Dec. 2003

The Killer Angels :: essays research papers

The novel starts out when Harrison, a Confederate spy, reports to James Longstreet that 80,000 to 100,000 Union soldiers have marched within 200 miles of Lee's position near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Harrison also bears news of a change in Union leadership. Major General George Meade had replaced "Fighting Joe" Hooker as commander of the Union Army. Lee sees this change as an opportunity to strike while the new commander gets his bearings. He decides to concentrate on Gettysburg, the small town where several roads in the area converge, where he intends to cut the Union army off from Washington, D.C. First shots are fired at dawn as Rebels attack Buford's dismounted cavalry. Later that day Lee orders Ewell to take control of Cemetery Hill. Ewell did not follow orders and the union gained control of the Hill instead. Late in the afternoon, on the second day, Colonel Chamberlain's 20th Maine regiment is moved into the woods. Colonel Vincent orders Chamberlain not to withdraw from his new position at the left flank of the Union line. The Confederates engage with the Union troops and Chamberlain’s 20th Maine time and time again. Finally when ammunition is low Chamberlain gives the order to â€Å"fix bayonets,† and charges down the hill driving the rebels back. That same day Lee orders Longstreet to attack the Union center, and Longstreet advises against it. â€Å"They will break," Lee insists. He directed Longstreet to take three divisions. Longstreet passes the order along to his generals Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble. Pickett and other commanders lose mos t of their men in the battle. As the survivors pull back, Lee finally admits his error to Longstreet, who gives his order to retreat. The two personalities that stand out the most in my mind are Robert E. Lee and Joshua Chamberlain. Lee and Chamberlain share many similarities. They are idealistic, optimistic, and have faith and pride in their men. Both care about their men, yet do not hesitate to use them, including Chamberlain’s own brother, for the sake of the cause. The men under Lee and Chamberlain show them a great deal of respect. Chamberlain is somewhat of a father figure to his men, as is Lee to James Longstreet. Joshua Chamberlain is an unusual man, formerly a college professor, and views the war and the men around him more as a philosopher then a military man. On his march toward Gettysburg he sees a row of dead confederates from a previous battle, and wonders whether the town’s people will give them a decent burial or leave them for the buzzards.

MG420 DLC Labor Relations Essay

1. Define the term â€Å"collective bargaining† and list and describe four issues that are mandatory components of a collective bargaining agreement. Efficiency, equity, and voice, these are the three primary objectives of labor relations, of employees, and even of some management employees. Workers seem to lean more towards equity and voice at the workplace, while management usually prefers efficiency. The complicated part is attempting to balance all three for an overall idyllic medium at the workplace for both employers and employees. One of the most encouraging guidelines that should be taken in attaining this balancing act would be through collective bargaining. Collective bargaining is a process of negotiating an agreement regarding the terms and conditions of employment through a system of shared responsibility and decision-making between labor and management (Budd 11-12). During a collective bargaining period, workers’ representatives approach the employer and attempt to negotiate a contract which both sides can agree upon, terms can typically be about wages, hours, promotions, benefits, and other employment components as well as procedures for handling disputes arising under it. An example that can better explain the importance of a collective bargaining is in an article called â€Å"Teachers’ union sues Middleton-Cross Plains school district†, (http://host.madison.com/news/local/education/local_schools/teachers-union-sues-middleton-cross-plains-school-district/article_d169fd40-5996-11e0-9c87-001cc4c03286.html), the author discusses how the union representing teachers in the Middleton-Cross Plains School District sued the district Monday over their collective bargaining negotiations. According to the complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court, the union said the district â€Å"bargained in bad faith† and proposed non-negotiable contract changes including removal of just cause for discipline and discharge, total district discretion of work  hours, elimination of seniority protections, elimination of fair share union dues, modifications/freezes on salary schedules and elimination of compensatory time off. The union also objected to the district proposal that the School Board be the final step in the grievance procedure as opposed to having a third-party arbitrator as the current agreement states (Kittner, 2011). In this article, we see how the teacher’s union could not effectively negotiate an agreement regarding the terms and conditions of employment with the Cross Plain school district and had to sue for a good-faith collective bargaining agreement. According to our textbook, four issues that are mandatory components of a collective bargaining a greement are as follow: (Budd 11-12) Compensation: Wages and benefits Vacations and holidays Shift premiums Profit sharing Employee Rights and responsibilities: Seniority rights Job standards Workplace rules Employer rights and responsibilities: Management rights Just cause discipline and discharge Subcontracting and safety standard Dispute resolution and ongoing decision making: Grievance procedures Committees and consultation Renegotiation procedures The two mandatory components of a collective bargaining agreement I would like to discuss in more detail are employee rights and grievance procedures. According to our textbook one of the four types of employees’ rights frequently granted in union contract is â€Å"just cause discipline and discharge†, an employee can be disciplined and discharged only for â€Å"cause† or â€Å"just cause†. As such, employees have the right to insist there be valid, job-related for reasons for discipline and dismissal (Budd 310). In an  article called â€Å"Is Poor Performance â€Å"Just Cause† for Discharge?†, provides a good example of employees’ rights â€Å"just cause discipline and discharge. The article discusses how the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in favor of an employer who had discharged an employee for poor performance. The court ruled that the employees’ poor performance constituted a â€Å"breach of duty reasonably owed the employer† which is one of the seven reasons that constitute â€Å"just cause† for discharge under Indiana law and contracts (Lyman, 2012). The article also discusses how employer tried to improve the employees’ behavior. â€Å"The employee’s supervisors repeatedly discussed with employee the mistakes†¦but the mistakes â€Å"would happen over, and over, and over again.† Co-workers had continuing problems with the employee where she would always blame others for her problems. Despite counseling on multiple occasions, she showed no improvement† (Lyman, 2012). The second mandatory component of a collective bargaining agreement I would like to discuss, is grievance procedures. According to our textbook, a grievance is generally defined as a claim by an employee that he or she is adversely affected by the misinterpretation or misapplication of a written company policy or collectively bargained agreement. To address grievances, employers typically implement a grievance procedure (Budd 321). Most collective bargaining agreements include procedures for filing and resolving grievances. An article from the Daily Freeman News called â€Å"Saugerties school board wants grievance discussion with teachers’ union instead of arbitration† (http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20140215/saugerties-school-board-wants-grievance-discussion-with-teachers-union-instead-of-arbitration), discusses a grievance raised during a Board of Education meeting which involves a guidance counselor in the junior high school who has 329 students, which exce eds the 250 maximum student load. The union, in filing its grievance, asked that the student load be reduced and the counselor receive additional pay for the period in which it exceeded 250 (Zangla, 2014). Within a union environment, the processes will typically involve the employee, union representatives and members of the employer’s management team. The article goes into detail how they will be meeting and try to avoid arbitration. â€Å"Board President George Heidcamp said trustees want to resolve  the grievance with the teachers’ union without going to arbitration, which could cost taxpayers $10,000 or more† (Zangla, 2014). In summary, collective bargaining centers on the basic components of the system where employees, employers and union members meet in order to find what works best and find a solution. A key note to successful collective bargaining is the state of affairs and persons who are entrusted to negotiate should have the traits of patience, trustworthiness, friendliness, integrity, and fairness. Collective bargaining through its mandatory components have enabled many unions and labor management to either agree or take the next steps in trying to get a fair and profitable agreement for both parties. Works Cited Budd, John W. Labor Relations: Striking a Balance. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print. Kittner, Gena. Teachers’ union sues Middleton-Cross Plains school district. 28 Mar 2011. Web. 19 Apr 2014. . Lyman, Stephen W. Is Poor Performance â€Å"Just Cause† for Discharge? 31 Aug 2012. Web. 19 Apr 2014. . Zangla, Ariel. Saugerties school board wants grievance discussion with teachers’ union instead of arbitration. 15 Feb 2014. Web. 19 Apr 2014. . 2. List and discuss three U.S. laws that support collective bargaining, and three examples of employer unfair labor practices. We have learned that collective bargaining is the negotiations involving the representatives of labor and management for terms and conditions of employment that will apply to the employee. It is also important to understand labor laws that support collective bargaining that protect union activity to balance efficiency, equity and voice. According to our textbook, the three U.S. laws that support collective bargaining between labor and management, are the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (The Wagner Act), the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 (The Taft-Hartley Act), and Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (The Landrum- Griffin Act) (Budd 109). The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, also known as the Wagner Act builds upon previous legislative attempts to promote and protect workers’ abilities to unionize in the private sector if they so choose. It guarantees the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively with  their employers, and to engage in other protected organized activity. Employees covered by the Act are also protected from certain types of employer and union misconduct. (Budd 119). In an interesting Wall Street Journal article called â€Å"Volkswagen’s Union Gamble† (http://www.no2uaw.com/vws-gamble.html), provides a good example of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) at work. The article discusses how Volkswagen and the United Auto Workers union are trying to get workers from Chattanooga, TN plant to vote on unionizing. According to the article, â€Å"Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga are voting this week on whether to become the first foreign-owned unionized auto plant in the American South. The United Auto Workers union desperately needs the victory and is getting help from the National Labor Relations Board and even from Volkswagen, which may come to regret selling out their workers to the union† (WSJ, 2014). The editorial also goes into detail how the UAW tried to sidestep a secret-ballot election via a dubious â€Å"card check.† There logic for this was due to the fact that the Wagner Act allows a union to be certified if a majority of workers sign authorization cards and an employer acquiesces. Unfortunately, the workers argue that non-union plants have lower production costs, more workforce flexibility and less labor strife. They also argue â€Å"Volkswagen’s un-neutral â€Å"neutrality agreement† with the UAW is arguably a violation of Taft-Hartley’s prohibition on employers giving a â€Å"thing of value† to a union seeking to organize its employees† and filed charges with the NLRB alleging that the UAW had lied to workers and bullied them into signing cards (WSJ, 2014). The debate about Volkswagen’s violation of the Taft-Hartley Act is ongoing and it takes us to our second U.S. laws that support collective bargaining. The Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, which is also known as the Taft-Hartley Act amends and adds to the Wagner Act in diverse and far-reaching ways and can be divided into three categories, â€Å"Restrictions on union actions, Enhanced rights of individuals and employers, and New dispute resolution procedures† (Budd 128). The purpose and policy of the Taft-Hartley Act was â€Å"to prescribe the legitimate rights of both employees and employers, to provide orderly and peaceful procedures for preventing the interference by either with the legitimate right of the other, to protect  the rights of individual employees in their relations with labor organizations and to protect the rights of the public in connection with labor disputes affecting commerce† (Budd 127). The act also empowers the U.S. president to petition a court to suspend a strike deemed a national security strike (Budd 128). In an article from the New York Times called â€Å"Dockworkers Strike Threatens to Close the East Coast Ports† (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/business/dockworkers-strike-threatens-to-close-east-coast-ports.html?_r=0), discusses how â€Å"dockworkers are flexing their muscles again, threatening a strike that would shut seaports from Massachusetts to Texas. It would be the first such coast wide strike since a two month walkout in 1977 that paralyzed the flow of tens of billions of dollars of imports – and the nation’s retailers and other businesses fear a painful replay if the 14,500 dockworkers make good on their threats† (Greenhouse, 2012). The strike threat has so alarmed corporate America that of more than 100 business groups which wrote to President Obama to urge him to intervene to push the two sides to settle – and, if need be, to invoke his emergency powers under the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act to bar a strike (Greenhouse, 2012). Eventually the strike was averted, the two sides agreed to sit down with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to discuss extending the long shore workers’ contract, during which time both negotiations and port operations would continue. Another U.S. law that supports collective bargaining is the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (The Landrum- Griffin Act) deals with the relationship between a union and its members. The Landrum- Griffin creates a bill of rights for union members that guarantees all union members equal rights of participation in internal union affairs, including voting and expressing views† (Budd 131). Part of the bill of rights of this act specifically mentions that all union members are entitled to receive a copy of the collective bargaining agreement. Additionally, the Landrum-Griffin Act tries to hinder corruption and racketeering in three ways. â€Å"First, unions and their officer are required to disclose financial records by filing reports with the U.S. Department of Labor. Second, the Landrum-Griffin act restricts the use of union trusteeships. Third, the Landrum-Griffin Act establishes the fiduciary responsibility of union leaders† (Budd 132-133). In a Wall Street Journal article titled â€Å"Obama Tries to Stop Union Disclosure† asserts how union membership peaked in the 1950s, when more than one-third of American workers belonged to a union. Approximately just about 7.6% of American private-sector workers belong to a union. A Rasmussen Research survey conducted in March found that 81% of nonunion members do not want to belong to a union. (WSJ, 2009). The response by union leaders and their Democratic allies to declining union membership is the Employee Free Choice Act. To increase unionization, it would deprive workers of private balloting in organizing elections, and it would substitute a signature-card process that would expose workers to coercion. The bill would also deny workers the right to ratify, or not ratify, labor contracts drafted by government arbitrators when negotiations in newly unionized workplaces exceed the bill’s rigid timetable (WSJ, 2009). Unfortunately, we see that instead of the democratic government abiding by the Landrum-Griffin Act, it is trying to create laws to appeal some of the current laws that protect union members from the unions or government. In the three above cases, the U.S. laws support collective bargaining, as well as protect from employer unfair practices. An unfair labor practices are defined according to our textbook as an illegal employers’ actions (Budd 122). The Wagner Act or the National Labor Relations Act has specific guidelines that both employees and employers must follow in order to maintain a positive work environment. At times, unfair labor practices do occur and place the workers in chaos. One of the unfair labor practice prohibits employers from interfering, restraining, or coercing employees who are exercising their Section 7 rights. Circulating antiunion petitions, using unnecessary surveillance to watch union activities, threatening employees with being fired, demoted, or causing physical harm, and bribing employees with wage increases are examples of Section 8(a)(1) known as the â€Å"universal enforcer† because it covers all employer violations of employee rights (Budd 123). The second unfair labor practice is known as Domination of a Labor Organization or Company Union Ban. Senator Wagner wanted to avoid management â€Å"handling† unions, preventing workers from forming legitimate, independent unions. Employers that initiate the formation of a union, provide financial support to a union, create a  nonunion employee representation plan, or create a labor-management committee that discusses wages and working conditions with some give and take with management is in direct violation of Section 8(a)(2) (Budd 123-124). The third unfair labor practice deals with employers discriminating to encourage or discourage union membership. Examples include firing a union supporter or someone trying to form a union, transferring a union supporter to a less desirable job or promoting an employee because of opposing a union, refusing to hire a potential employee because of past union participation or simply closing a part of a business because of antiunion reason s are examples of Section 8(a)(3) (Budd 123-124). A good example of two unfair labor practices is in an article called â€Å"1981 Strike Leaves Legacy for American Workers† (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5604656), in which the author discusses how over 30 years ago, former President Ronald Reagan set a defining moment in the history of the aviation, his presidency, and labor relations by firing thousands of unionized air traffic controllers for illegally going on strike. In February 1981, new contract negotiations open between Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which employs the air-traffic controllers. Citing safety concerns, PATCO calls for a reduced 32-hour work week, a $10,000 pay increase for all air-traffic controllers and a better benefits package for retirement. Contract negotiations with the FAA stall (Schalch, 2006). Then in August 1984, strike action began with 13,000 employees walking off the job in various locations, halting operations as busy airports including Dallas, Fort Worth, Atlanta, and Chicago. At that point, then President Reagan intervened sending a warning statement that anyone not returning to work within 48 hours would be terminated. Two days later most of the striking employees were fired. They were replaced by employees not participating the protests and military air traffic controllers (Schalch, 2006). As I understand the employer unfair practices, the firing of the unionizes traffic controllers and the hiring of new traffic controllers was a direct violation of Sections 8(a)(1) and (3), threatening employees with job loss, firing a union supporter, and promoting a union opponent to a better job. In conclusion, the three labor laws have shed some much needed light as to the rights of both employers and employees, not to mention has also set some much needed boundaries as to how far each side can go without treading into illegal or unfair territory. These laws must be put into place to regulate both sides equally and it also provides no confusion as to the right and wrong paths one must take when leading to collective bargaining. The examples of unfair labor practices by employers provide a clear view as to the lengths some employers will go to in an attempt to avoid or divert a union being organized. The Wagner Act has specific sections in its law that provides employers the knowledge of what is acceptable behavior and what is not. Works Cited Budd, John W. Labor Relations: Striking a Balance. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print. Greenhouse, Steven. Dockworkers Strike Threatens to Close East Coast Ports. 26 Dec 2012. Web. 22 Apr 2014. . Schalch, Kathleen. 1981 Strike Leaves Legacy for American Workers. 2006 Aug 2006. Web. 22 Apr 2014. . Wall Street Journal (Editorial): Volkswagen’s Union Gamble. 12 Feb 2014. Web. 20 Apr 2014. . 3. Describe the process of establishing and decertifying a collective bargaining unit in the workplace. As discussed earlier in this research paper, the definition of collective bargaining is technically when a group of employees negotiate as a unit with their employer over pay, benefits and working conditions. Chris Langford, a strategist and organizer at the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), (http://www.ifpte.org/news/details/Why-Collective-Bargaining-Rights-Are-Important), states that the principle stems from the idea that as a group, employees have more strength or bargaining power if they collaborate than they do if they try to negotiate with their employer individually. Because of its basis in collaboration, collective bargaining is inherently a democratic process since a majority of employees select the subjects they bargain over and vote on whether they agree to a contract (Langford, 2012). In our textbook the author, discusses how a bargaining unit is a group of several workers involved in a similar industry or occupational field that, on the determination of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), can engage in collective bargaining (Budd 199). This group also helps the union represent the other employees in the industry to handle any issues, improprieties, or unfair work ethics or practices that may come to light. To establish a bargaining unit, certain laws and doctrines must be strictly adhered to, the worker group must also have first established an organized union the deals with their specific industry. The union represents the group exclusively, and deals with all negotiations and discussions to further the workers’ causes. Once a union has been formed, the NLRB, looks at several criteria before allowing part of the worker group to be recognized as a bargaining unit. The NLRB reviews the workers’ mutual interests in working conditions, wages earned, training protocols, and number of hours in a work week. They also look at the management scope, the public interest factor, and the worker group’s history of bargaining in the past through other associations (Budd 200). According to an article called â€Å"WNBA and Players Association Sign New Collective Bargaining Agreement† , the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) announced that they have entered into a new eight-year collective bargaining agreement. The new collective bargaining agreement includes an additional 12th roster spot, salary cap increases and reduced revenue sharing thresholds, making it more likely that the players will share in league revenue growth. In the article, we can see how an established a collective bargaining unit represent its specific employees (women basketball pl ayers) to conduct collective bargaining with their employers (WNBA, 2014). So what happens if the collective bargaining unit (union) employees no longer want to be represented? To determine the wishes of the majority of the employees, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) allows employees to call for a special election to get rid of the union as their â€Å"exclusive representative.† This is called a Decertification election.