Bogomil - Who and what the Bogomils were

Bogomil - Who and what the Bogomils were A Bogomil was a member of a heretical sect that originated in Bulgaria in the tenth century. The sect was evidently named after its founder, the priest Bogomil. The Doctrine of the  Bogomils Bogomilism was dualistic in nature that is, its followers believed that both good and evil forces created the universe. Bogomils believed that the material world was created by the devil, and they therefore condemned all activities that brought mankind into close contact with matter, including eating meat, drinking wine, and marriage. Bogomils were noted and even praised by their enemies for their austerity, but their rejection of the entire organization of the Orthodox Church made them heretics, and they were therefore sought out for conversion and, in some cases, persecution. Origins and Spread of  Bogomilism The idea of Bogomilism appears to be a result of a combination of neo-Manicheanism with a local movement aimed at reforming the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. This theological viewpoint  spread over much of the Byzantine Empire during the 11th and 12th centuries. Its popularity in Constantinople resulted in the imprisonment of many prominent Bogomils and the burning of their leader, Basil, in about 1100. The heresy continued to spread, until by the early 13th century there was a network of Bogomils and followers of similar philosophies, including Paulicians and Cathari, that stretched from the Black Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The Decline of  Bogomilism In the 13th and 14th centuries, several delegations of Franciscan missionaries were sent to convert heretics in the Balkans, including Bogomils; those they failed to convert were expelled from the region. Still Bogomilism remained strong in Bulgaria until the 15th century, when the Ottomans conquered parts of southeastern Europe and the sects began to dissipate. Remnants of dualistic practices can be found in the folklore of southern Slavs, but little else remains of the once-powerful sect.

7 Steps to Know If Youre in the Right Job

7 Steps to Know If Youre in the Right Job Do you spend a lot of time moaning about your job? Worrying that you maybe picked the wrong career? That your dream job is still out there somewhere and you’re stuck in a rut? We all complain about our jobs- and the grass is almost always greener somewhere else. But there’s a difference between something called â€Å"job depression† and actually being in the wrong career.Our brains tend to do three things that can be poisonous to our job satisfaction: distort, delete, and generalize. It’s easy to distort our own view of what we do. It’s easy to delete the fun, rewarding parts when complaining about all the tasks we hate. And it’s easy to draw global conclusions when we focus on the negative.If you want to know whether you actually hate your job- or have just convinced yourself to hate it through your own complaining- here are seven steps you can take:1. Assess your job.How do you think and talk about your job? Does your gut response really re flect how you feel about the work you do?2. Listen to yourself.How often do you complain about the parts of your job that you don’t like?3. Accentuate the positive.Take a moment and make a list of all the things you like about your job. Really think about the tasks and aspects of your work that you enjoy.4. Give your job a break.There’s no such thing as the perfect job. Try to remember that even your dream job would involve at least a few tasks that aren’t your favorite things to do.5. Keep track.Make a list of every task you do for two weeks and then rate each one on a scale of 1 to 10. At the end of two weeks, the numbers will not lie.6. Remember your strengths.What are your best, most unique skills? Does your job give you the opportunity to make best use of them?7.  Reassess your job.By now, you should have a pretty clear idea of how you really feel about your job. What percentage of your job do you actually hate? Does the number surprise you?You probably r eally do like your job- or most of it. Or maybe you’ve realized that you like some aspects of your job, but that you’re not satisfied overall. If the negatives really do outweigh the positives, then maybe it’s time to stop complaining and start looking for another job! Either way, it’s important to connect with how you really feel and not let your bad psychology get the better of you.

A Child at the Playground Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Child at the Playground - Essay Example The researcher states that one day, while he was waiting at his bus-stop to catch his homeward bound bus, the author’s attention was arrested by a shrill ringing of a bell. The researcher looked around him and noticed a daycare center just behind his bus-stop. A noisy stream of children was released into the outdoors for their play time. The author saw at a glance that the playground was filled with equipment. They looked as if they were self-assembled items from Marston's book. The children lost no time in reaching for their favorite playthings. There was general pandemonium as they rushed to be the first to use their favorites. They looked as happy as larks, screaming and shouting in their excitement. Their teacher stood at attentive observation at her post just in front of the front gate. She was facing the children and had her back to the author. The researcher could stare as long as he liked without fear of any reprisals from the adult. The children did not mind me lookin g at them. They were too busy at play to notice a stranger at the bus-stop staring at them. One child particularly caught the author’s attention. She was a small, fair-haired girl. She stood patiently by the swing and was waiting her turn. However, the bigger boy who was using the sole swing gave no sign of indication that he was ready to share the swing and vacate his hold over it. The little girl grew tired of waiting and simply walked away. She did not proceed to the other playthings but had squatted down to the grassy ground and was plucking selected grass to gather in a bunch. She was as patient as an experienced gardener, seemingly intent on her task. Although she was alone, she did not look forlorn. She looked as if she was enjoying herself in her preoccupation. She did not interact nor play along with the crowd. The researcher was puzzled as to why she behaved as she did. Soon, the author’s doubts vaporized. The little girl walked over to the rabbit hutch and d eposited her offerings for the rabbit. She looked delighted, enjoying the sight of the fruits of her labor. Pretty soon, another girl joined her at the hutch. Then another child and yet another. It was evident that the children were now fascinated with the rabbit. The children made a commotion in their excitement to feed the rabbit. There was a frenzy of grass plucking. The researcher lost sight of the little girl as her friends crowded around her. The author saw a sea of excited children giving tribute to a new found leader. The author knew that she must be feeling pleased to have initiated such an interest in the rabbit.

Delegating for Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Delegating for Growth - Essay Example They fear loosing status, hence fail to assign high-profile jobs to their staff, and delegation of work is compromised, as the rookie manager is afraid of being resented by his peers (Walker, 2002, p.4). Secondly, rookie managers tend to depend highly on their bosses; this is usually a sign of disaster, since the new mangers will not learn to do his duties on his own. However, setting up brief meetings with their bosses may be of help to the new managers. In addition, lack of confidence contributes to a manager’s failure to inspire their team. These managers face the challenge of addressing their staff members. Other than addressing the problem faced by their staff, they sit back hoping things will improve, whilst the other staff members become frustrated by their lack of actions. Lack of experience from managers compromises the efforts of addressing a problem that is affecting the organization and the team as well (Walker, 2002, p.7). Therefore, there is need to train the roo kie managers on managerial skills so as to ensure that they understand their new roles, hence delivering effectively. Supporting arguments. Delegation of duties is a function of a manager. Walker (p 4) insists that a rookie manager needs to understand that his new role has nothing to do with personal achievement; instead, it entails building his staff members. However, these rookie managers tend to have insecurities especially when assigning duties to their staff members, as they fear that the employees may outdo them. Therefore, managerial skills are very important, as they enable the new managers to understand their roles; these managers need training and coaching to enable them deliver. The new managers need to be trained on how to delegate tasks effectively, hence enabling them to develop talented staffs that are an advantage to the company. Therefore, the managers will not be insecure about assigning duties effectively without prejudice. Supporting the new managers is necessary . When rookie managers are supported by their bosses, work life becomes easier; however, the kind of support given may be at a disadvantage, for instance, heavy reliance on their bosses could render them reluctant. Walker (p5) insists that managers should only consult their bosses on critical issues, but not on the nitty-gritty ones. Brief meetings between the bosses and the managers are necessary, whereby, the new manager can ask questions and receive feedback on the pressing issues. The new manager is then able to organize his thoughts on how to deal with his staff members. In addition, a manager should be capable of projecting confidence to enable him inspire the team members This is due to the rapid changing technology that requires every manager to be updated and capable of dealing with challenging issues; failure to this leads to stress in the place of work. The ability to deal with arising problems by addressing them other than watching and ignoring the situation is paramount for a manager. Employees gain confidence in a manager who addresses the problems affecting them and certainly puts the matter to rest, thus giving employees the will to perform. Bruch & Ghoshal (p5) add that, managers are not expected to do the inevitable; however, focused managers respond immediately to any arising issue that interferes with the organizational goals. It is however important for the managers to adopt managerial skills before being

Critique of Pure Reason Essay Example for Free

Critique of Pure Reason Essay Immanuel Kant, (born April 22, 1724, Konigsberg, Prussia [now Kaliningrad, Russia]—died February 12, 1804, Konigsberg), German philosopher whose comprehensive and systematic work in epistemology (the theory of knowledge), ethics, and aesthetics greatly influenced all subsequent philosophy, especially the various schools of Kantianism and idealism. Kant was one of the foremost thinkers of the Enlightenment and arguably one of the greatest philosophers of all time. In him were subsumed new trends that had begun with the rationalism (stressing reason) of Rene Descartes and the empiricism (stressing experience) of Francis Bacon. He thus inaugurated a new era in the development of philosophical thought. BACKGROUND AND EARLY YEARS Kant lived in the remote province where he was born for his entire life. His father, a saddler, was, according to Kant, a descendant of a Scottish immigrant, although scholars have found no basis for this claim; his mother, an uneducated German woman, was remarkable for her character and natural intelligence. Both parents were devoted followers of the Pietist branch of the Lutheran church, which taught that religion belongs to the inner life expressed in simplicity and obedience to moral law. The influence of their pastor made it possible for Kant—the fourth of nine children but the eldest surviving child—to obtain an education. At the age of eight Kant entered the Pietist school that his pastor directed. This was a Latin school, and it was presumably during the eight and a half years he was there that Kant acquired his lifelong love for the Latin classics, especially for the naturalistic poet Lucretius. In 1740 he enrolled in the University of Konigsberg as a theological student. But, although he attended courses in theology and even preached on a few occasions, he was principally attracted to mathematics and physics. Aided by a young professor who had studied Christian Wolff, a systematizer of rationalist philosophy, and who was also an enthusiast for the science of Sir Isaac Newton, Kant began reading the work of the English physicist and, in 1744, started his first book, Gedanken von der wahren Schatzung der lebendigen Krafte (1746; Thoughts on the True Estimation of Living Forces), dealing with a problem concerning kinetic forces. Though by that time he had decided to pursue an academic career, the death of his father in 1746 and his failure to obtain the post of undertutor in one of the schools attached to the university compelled him to withdraw and seek a means of supporting himself. Tutor and Privatdozent He found employment as a family tutor and, during the nine years that he gave to it, worked for three different families. With them he was introduced to the influential society of the city, acquired social grace, and made his farthest travels from his native city—some 60 miles (96 km) away to the town of Arnsdorf. In 1755, aided by the kindness of a friend, he was able to complete his degree at the university and take up the position of Privatdozent, or lecturer. Period of the three Critiques In 1781 the Kritik der reinen Vernunft (spelled Critik in the first edition; Critique of Pure Reason) was published, followed for the next nine years by great and original works that in a short time brought a revolution in philosophical thought and established the new direction in which it was to go in the years to come. The Critique of Pure Reason The Critique of Pure Reason was the result of some 10 years of thinking and meditation. Yet, even so, Kant published the first edition only reluctantly after many postponements; although convinced of the truth of its doctrine, he was uncertain and doubtful about its exposition. His misgivings proved well founded, and Kant complained that interpreters and critics of the work were badly misunderstanding it. To correct these wrong interpretations of his thought, he wrote the Prolegomena zu einer jeden kunftigen Metaphysik die als Wissenschaft wird auftreten konnen (1783; Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics That Will be Able to Come Forward as Science) and brought out a second and revised edition of the first Critique in 1787. Controversy still continues regarding the merits of the two editions: readers with a preference for an idealistic interpretation usually prefer the first edition, whereas those with a realistic view adhere to the second. But with regard to difficulty and ease of reading and understanding, it is generally agreed that there is little to choose between them. Anyone on first opening either book finds it overwhelmingly difficult and impenetrably obscure. The Critique of Practical Reason Because of his insistence on the need for an empirical component in knowledge and his antipathy to speculative metaphysics, Kant is sometimes presented as a positivist before his time, and his attack upon metaphysics was held by many in his own day to bring both religion and morality down with it. Such, however, was certainly far from Kant’s intention. Not only did he propose to put metaphysics â€Å"on the sure path of science,† he was prepared also to say that he â€Å"inevitably† believed in the existence of God and in a future life. It is also true that his original conception of his critical philosophy anticipated the preparation of a critique of moral philosophy. The Kritik der praktischen Vernunft (1788, spelled Critik and practischen; Critique of Practical Reason), the result of this intention, is the standard sourcebook for his ethical doctrines. The earlier Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten (1785; Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals) is a shorter and, despite its title, more readily comprehensible treatment of the same general topic. Both differ from Die Metaphysik der Sitten (1797; The Metaphysics of Morals) in that they deal with pure ethics and try to elucidate basic principles; the later work, in contrast, is concerned with applying these principles in the concrete, a process that involved the consideration of virtues and vices and the foundations of law and politics. The Critique of Judgment The Kritik der Urteilskraft (1790, spelled Critik; Critique of Judgment)—one of the most original and instructive of all of Kant’s writings—was not foreseen in his original conception of the critical philosophy. Thus it is perhaps best regarded as a series of appendixes to the other two Critiques. The work falls into two main parts, called respectively Critique of Aesthetic Judgment and Critique of Teleological Judgment. In the first of these, after an introduction in which he discussed â€Å"logical purposiveness,† he analyzed the notion of â€Å"aesthetic purposiveness† in judgments that ascribe beauty to something. Such a judgment, according to him, unlike a mere expression of taste, lays claim to general validity, yet it cannot be said to be cognitive because it rests on feeling, not on argument. The explanation lies in the fact that, when a person contemplates an object and finds it beautiful, there is a certain harmony between his imagination and his understanding, of which he is aware from the immediate delight that he takes in the object. Imagination grasps the object and yet is not restricted to any definite concept, whereas a person imputes the delight that he feels to others because it springs from the free play of his cognitive faculties, which are the same in all humans. LAST YEARS The critical philosophy was soon being taught in every important German-speaking university, and young men flocked to Konigsberg as a shrine of philosophy. In some cases the Prussian government even undertook the expense of their support. Kant came to be consulted as an oracle on all kinds of questions, including such subjects as the lawfulness of vaccination. Such homage did not interrupt Kant’s regular habits. Scarcely five feet tall, with a deformed chest, and suffering from weak health, he maintained throughout his life a severe regimen. It was arranged with such regularity that people set their clocks according to his daily walk along the street named for him, â€Å"The Philosopher’s Walk. † Until old age prevented him, he is said to have missed this regular appearance only on the occasion when Rousseau’s Emile so engrossed him that for several days he stayed at home. From 1790 Kant’s health began to decline seriously. He still had many literary projects but found it impossible to write more than a few hours a day. The writings that he then completed consist partly of an elaboration of subjects not previously treated in any detail, partly of replies to criticisms and to the clarification of misunderstandings. With the publication in 1793 of his work Die Religion innerhalb der Grenzen der blossen Vernunft (Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone), Kant became involved in a dispute with Prussian authorities on the right to express religious opinions. The book was found to be altogether too rationalistic for orthodox taste. He was charged with misusing his philosophy to the â€Å"distortion and depreciation of many leading and fundamental doctrines of sacred Scripture and Christianity† and was required by the government not to lecture or write anything further on religious subjects. Kant agreed but privately interpreted the ban as a personal promise to the king, Frederick William II, from which he felt himself to be released on the latter’s death in 1797. At any rate, he returned to the forbidden subject in his last major essay, â€Å"Der Streit der Fakultaten† (1798; â€Å"The Conflict of the Faculties†). In 1797 Kant published Die Metaphysik der Sitten (The Metaphysics of Morals), comprising Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Rechtslehre (The Philosophy of Law) and Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Tugendlehre (The Doctrine of Virtue). The former was the major statement of his political philosophy, which he also discussed in Zum ewigen Frieden (1795; Project for a Perpetual Peace) and in the essay â€Å"Uber den Gemeinspruch: Das mag in der Theorie richtig sein, taugt aber nicht fur die Praxis† (1793; â€Å"On the Old Saw: That May Be Right In Theory, But It Won’t Work in Practice†). The large work at which he laboured until his death—the fragments of which fill the two final volumes of the great Berlin edition of his works—was evidently intended to be a major contribution to his critical philosophy. What remains, however, is not so much an unfinished work as a series of notes for a work that was never written. Known as the Opus postumum, its original title was Ubergang von den metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Naturwissenschaft zur Physik (â€Å"Transition from the Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science to Physics†). It may have been Kant’s intention in this work to carry further the argument advanced in the Metaphysische Anfangsgrunde der Naturwissenschaft (1786; Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science) by showing that it is possible to construct a priori not merely the general outline of a science of nature but a good many of its details as well. But judging from the extant fragments, however numerous they are, it remains conjectural whether its completion would have constituted a major addition to his philosophy and its reputation. After a gradual decline that was painful to his friends as well as to himself, Kant died in Konigsberg on February 12, 1804. His last words were â€Å"Es ist gut† (â€Å"It is good†). His tomb in the cathedral was inscribed with the words (in German) â€Å"The starry heavens above me and the moral law within me,† the two things that he declared in the conclusion of the second Critique â€Å"fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and the more steadily we reflect on. † IMMANUEL KANT Prepared by: Cherry B. Ordonez Alliona Gem S. Tolentino N- 201.

Be Who You Are :: essays research papers

Be Who You Are I know it’s Christmas and everyone is filled with the holiday spirit, or at least I hope you are. Instead of giving you some sappy holiday story though, I’m going to pitch you something real.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Are there some days where you feel you just can’t stand people because of the way they act? Or, are there just some people that you can’t stand because of their clothes, appearance, or maybe even the people they chill with? Just let me ask you one question, why? Don’t know? Of course you don’t. A study done by Jessica Hopkins at Northern Kentucky University can help you better understand why you do these things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Social identity theory predicts a correlation between self-esteem and acceptance of others under the assumption that an individual with low self-esteem would satisfy the need for in-group favoritism by expressing prejudice. Our results support the hypothesis that individuals with low self-esteem are less accepting of others,† states Hopkins.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This simply means that most people our age have a problem with self esteem, and according to the statement, one would judge others because of their friends and a need to â€Å"belong† to a certain group. You know it’s true. I see it everyday. It is normal for teenagers to judge and create prejudice. Otherwise your friends would make fun of you and you wouldn’t be â€Å"cool† anymore. Here is your next brain teaser. Why do you care what your friends think? This means that they are judging you, and what a coincidence, you and the people you hurt are in the same boat! How about that? Number two, are they really your friends if they do that to you? I didn’t think so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So why are you going to sit there and be an associate of this hate crime. Or, in your terms, â€Å"Why you gotta sit there and be a hater?† There is an old school saying that says â€Å" What goes around comes around.† Well my friend, if you don’t watch yourself it might be coming to you. Of course there are going to be people different from you, everybody is different. The goal is to be unique and be your own person. Be Who You Are :: essays research papers Be Who You Are I know it’s Christmas and everyone is filled with the holiday spirit, or at least I hope you are. Instead of giving you some sappy holiday story though, I’m going to pitch you something real.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Are there some days where you feel you just can’t stand people because of the way they act? Or, are there just some people that you can’t stand because of their clothes, appearance, or maybe even the people they chill with? Just let me ask you one question, why? Don’t know? Of course you don’t. A study done by Jessica Hopkins at Northern Kentucky University can help you better understand why you do these things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Social identity theory predicts a correlation between self-esteem and acceptance of others under the assumption that an individual with low self-esteem would satisfy the need for in-group favoritism by expressing prejudice. Our results support the hypothesis that individuals with low self-esteem are less accepting of others,† states Hopkins.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This simply means that most people our age have a problem with self esteem, and according to the statement, one would judge others because of their friends and a need to â€Å"belong† to a certain group. You know it’s true. I see it everyday. It is normal for teenagers to judge and create prejudice. Otherwise your friends would make fun of you and you wouldn’t be â€Å"cool† anymore. Here is your next brain teaser. Why do you care what your friends think? This means that they are judging you, and what a coincidence, you and the people you hurt are in the same boat! How about that? Number two, are they really your friends if they do that to you? I didn’t think so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So why are you going to sit there and be an associate of this hate crime. Or, in your terms, â€Å"Why you gotta sit there and be a hater?† There is an old school saying that says â€Å" What goes around comes around.† Well my friend, if you don’t watch yourself it might be coming to you. Of course there are going to be people different from you, everybody is different. The goal is to be unique and be your own person.

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Thirty-Nine

Stefan hadn't had a plan when he agreed to stay in Matt's place. He just knew he had to save Matt, and now he hoped Damon would come for him. Stefan's wrists ached with a dul , throbbing insistent pain that was almost impossible for him to ignore. He tried once more to pul against the ropes that were holding him to the chair, turning his hands from left to right as far as he could to try and loosen his restraints, but it was hopeless. He couldn't shift them. He looked around dazedly. The room looked both serene and mysterious again now, as it had when he first kicked in the door. A good place for a secret society. Torches burned brightly, flowers were arranged around the makeshift altar. The Vitales had taken the time to clean up after binding him and kil ing the pledges. The ropes were crossed over his chest and stomach and wound around his back; his ankles and knees were tied to the chair legs, his elbows and wrists to the arms of the chair. He was Welltrussed, but it was the ones around his wrists that hurt most, because they lay against his bare skin. And they burned. â€Å"They're soaked in vervain so that you'l be too weak to break free, but I'm afraid it must sting a bit,† Ethan said pleasantly, as if he was explaining an interesting element of the secret chamber's architecture to his guest. â€Å"See, I may be new at this, but I know al the tricks.† Stefan rested his head against the back of the chair and looked at Ethan with fervent dislike. â€Å"Not all of the tricks, I suspect.† Ethan was cocky, but Stefan was pretty sure he hadn't been a vampire for very long. If Ethan was stil human, if he had never become a vampire, Stefan guessed he would look more or less the same as he did now. Ethan crouched down in front of Stefan's chair to look up into his face, wearing the same warm, friendly smile as when he'd tried to convince Stefan to join them. He looked like a pleasant fel ow, someone you wanted to relax with and trust, and Stefan glared at him. The smile was a lie. Ethan was a kil er whose mask was less obvious than those of the other Vitale vampires, that was al . â€Å"You're probably right about that,† Ethan said thoughtful y. â€Å"I imagine there are al kinds of tricks you've picked up in, what is it, more than five hundred years? Tricks that I don't know yet. You could be very useful to me in that way, if you decide to join us after al . There are lots of things you can teach us about al this vampire stuff.† He flashed that appealing smile again. â€Å"I've always been a good student.† Vampire stuff. â€Å"What do you want from me, Ethan?† Stefan asked wearily. It had been a long night, a long few weeks, and the vervain-soaked ropes were hurting his arms, muddying his thoughts. Ethan knew how old he was. Ethan knew what to offer him when they first talked about the Vitale Society. It wasn't a coincidence that he was the one in this room, then; Ethan wasn't looking for just any vampire. â€Å"What's your plan here?† Stefan asked. Ethan's smile grew wider. â€Å"I'm building an invincible vampire army, of course,† he said cheerful y. â€Å"I know it sounds a little ridiculous, but it's al about power. And power's never ridiculous.† He licked his lips nervously, showing a flash of thin pink tongue. â€Å"See, I used to just be one of the ordinary little people. I was just like everyone else on campus. My biggest achievements were good grades on exams or the fact that I had the leadership of some secret col ege club. You wouldn't believe how lame the Vitale Society used to be. Just white magic and nature worship.† He made a little self-deprecating grimace: See how silly I was once. I'm telling you something embarrassing about myself, so trust me. â€Å"But then I figured out how to get some real power.† One of the black-clad figures came up behind Ethan, and Ethan held up a finger to Stefan. â€Å"Hang on a sec, okay?† He rose and turned to talk to his lieutenant. After tying Stefan up, Ethan had efficiently gone back to draining the pledges, one after another, dropping the bodies as soon as he finished with them. They had al gone through their transitions now and were back on their feet. They seemed irritable and disoriented, growling and snapping at one another and gazing at Ethan with undisguised adoration. Typical new vampires. Stefan eyed them warily. Until they had fed thoroughly, they would hover on the brink of madness, and it would be easy for Ethan to lose control of them. Then they would be even more dangerous. â€Å"The pledges need to eat,† Ethan said calmly to the robed woman behind him. â€Å"Five of you should take them out and teach them how to hunt. You lead the hunting party and pick whoever you want to go with you. The rest wil stay here and help guard our guest.† Stefan watched as the Vitales sorted themselves out. Eight of Ethan's fol owers remained, stationing themselves by the sides of the room. Stefan had managed to kil one other during the fight, ripping her throat out, but the body had been tidied away somewhere. Stefan gave a little involuntary moan. It was hard to think straight – he was so tired, and the vervain was starting to hurt him al over, not just on his aching wrists, but anywhere the ropes touched him through his clothes. Damon, please come quickly. Please, Damon, he thought. â€Å"You're going to unleash nine newly made vampires on the campus?† he asked Ethan, his mind snapping back to the matter at hand. â€Å"Ethan, they'l kill people. People who were your friends, maybe. You'l draw attention to yourselves. There are already police al over campus. Please, take them to the woods to hunt animals. They can live on animal blood.† He heard a pleading note enter his own voice as Ethan only smiled absently at him, as if he was a child begging to go to Disneyland. â€Å"Come on, Ethan, it hasn't been very long since you were a human, too. You can't want to stand by and have innocent students murdered.† Ethan shrugged, patting Stefan lightly on the shoulder as he started to walk over to confer with another of his henchmen. â€Å"They need to be strong, Stefan. I want them at their peak by the next equinox. And we've kil ed plenty of innocent students already,† he said over his shoulder. â€Å"Equinox? Ethan,† Stefan shouted after him in frustration. He looked frantical y at the door by which the pledges and their escort had left. It would take them a while to select victims. Not as many students were walking the campus alone at night these days. If he could get free, if Damon came now and freed him, they could stil stop the slaughter. If al these brand-new vampires were al owed loose on campus, there would be a massacre. Ethan couldn't have changed the rest of the Vitale Society al at once, he realized. The number of murders they would have committed newly made as a group would have been impossible to disguise as a few disappearances. This must have been the first mass initiation. And who had made Ethan? he wondered. Was there an older vampire somewhere on campus? Damon, where are you? He had no doubt that Damon would come if he could. Despite their rift over Elena, things had changed enough between him and Damon that he knew he could rely on his brother to rescue him. He had saved him before, after al , when they fought Katherine, when they fought Klaus. There was something rock solid between them now, something that wasn't there a year ago, or in the hundreds of years before that. He closed his eyes and heard himself give a dry, painful chuckle. It seemed like an inopportune moment to start having revelations about his own family issues. â€Å"So,† Ethan said chattily, returning to his side and pul ing up a chair, â€Å"we were talking about the equinox.† â€Å"Yes,† Stefan said, an acid bite to his tone. He wasn't going to let Ethan see how he was yearning toward the door, expectant. He needed to keep his cool, so that Damon could have the element of surprise on his side. He should keep Ethan talking, keep him distracted in case Damon came, so he fixed an expression of interest on his face and looked at Ethan attentively. â€Å"At the time of the equinox, when day and night are perfectly balanced, the line between life and death is at its most weak and permeable. This is the time when spirits can cross between the worlds,† Ethan began dramatical y, moving one hand in a wide sweep. Stefan sighed. â€Å"I know that, Ethan,† he said impatiently. â€Å"Just cut to the chase.† He might have to keep Ethan distracted, but surely he didn't have to feed his ego. Ethan dropped his hand. â€Å"You remember Klaus, don't you?† he asked. â€Å"The originator of your bloodline? We're resurrecting him. With him at the head of our ranks, we'l be invincible.† Everything went stil for a moment, as if Stefan's slow-beating heart had final y stopped. Then he sucked in a breath. He felt as if Ethan had punched him in the face. He couldn't speak for a moment. When he could, he gasped, â€Å"Klaus? Klaus the vampire who†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He couldn't even finish the sentence. His mind was ful of Klaus: the Old One, the Original vampire, the mad man. The vampire who had control ed lightning, who had bragged that he had not been made, that he just was. In Klaus's earliest memories, he had told Stefan, he carried a bronze axe; he was a barbarian at the gate, among those who destroyed the Roman Empire. He claimed that he began the race of vampires. Klaus had held Elena's spirit hostage and tortured innocent Vickie Bennett to death for fun. He turned Katherine, first into a vampire, then into a cruel dol instead of a person, changed her until she was vicious and mindless, eager only to torment those she once loved. Stefan, Damon, and Elena kil ed him at last, but it was nearly impossible, would have been impossible without the spirits of a battalion of unquiet ghosts from the Civil War tied to the blood-soaked battlegrounds of Fel ‘s Church. â€Å"Klaus who made the vampire who made you,† Ethan said cheerful y. â€Å"It was another of his descendants who I found in Europe this summer on my trip abroad. I convinced her to turn me into a vampire. She taught me some tricks, too, like how to use vervain, and how lapis lazuli can protect us from the sun. I put lapis lazuli in the pins we wear now, so al the members have it on them at al times. She was very helpful, this vampire who changed me. And she told me al about Klaus.† He smiled warmly at Stefan again. â€Å"See, you should like me, Stefan. We're practical y cousins.† Stefan shut his eyes for a moment. â€Å"Klaus was insane,† he tried to explain. â€Å"He won't work with you, he'l destroy you.† Ethan sighed. â€Å"I real y think I can work it out with him, though,† he said. â€Å"I'm very persuasive. And I'm offering him soldiers. I hear he likes war. There's no reason for him to turn us down; we want to give him everything he wants.† He paused and looked at Stefan, stil smiling, but there was a note now in that wide smile that Stefan didn't like, a false innocence. Whatever Ethan was going to ask Stefan now, he already knew the answer. â€Å"Does this mean you're not interested in joining our army, cousin?† he asked with mock surprise. Gritting his teeth, Stefan strained against the ropes once more, but they didn't budge. He glared up at Ethan. â€Å"I won't help you,† he said. â€Å"Never.† Ethan came closer, bent down until his face was level with Stefan's. â€Å"But you wil help,† he said lightly, a trace of self-satisfaction in his eyes. â€Å"Whether you want to or not. See, what I need most of al to bring back Klaus is blood.† He ran his hands through his curls, shaking his head. â€Å"It's always blood for this kind of thing, have you noticed?† he added. â€Å"Blood?† asked Stefan uneasily. Young vampires were never sane, in his opinion – the initial rush of new senses and Powers were enough to bewilder anyone. He was starting to think, though, that Ethan's grasp on sanity might not have been that strong to begin with. He'd convinced someone to turn him into a vampire? â€Å"The blood of his descendants, specifical y.† Ethan nodded smugly. â€Å"That's why I was so delighted to find that you were right here on campus. I made a hobby of tracking down the descendants of Klaus this summer, after I'd talked the first one I met into changing me into what she was. Some of them gave me blood wil ingly, when they heard what I wanted to do. Not al of Klaus's descendants are as ungrateful as you. I only need a little more, and then I'l have enough. Yours, of course,† and his eyes flicked up toward the door that Stefan had been surreptitiously watching al this time, waiting for Damon, â€Å"and your brother's. I assume he'l be here any minute?† Stefan's heart plummeted, and he stared openly at the door. Damon, please stay away, he thought desperately.

Jack Ma (Ma, Yun), “Alibaba” of China’s E-Commerce Business

Alibaba Group, even only with 12years history, is one of the biggest e-commerce platforms for small businesses in the world. Its business includes: Alibaba. com, which is for small firms to find customers and suppliers without going through middlemen, has 57million users, nearly in every country. Another marketplace, Taobao. com, is for individuals buying goods from each other; it has 300million customers and $29 billion-worth of goods. Also, China Yahoo! , One of China's leading Internet portals, was acquired by Alibaba in 2005 as part of its strategic partnership with Yahoo! Inc. In 2010, the revenue of Alibaba Group increased by 49% and with 47% profit increase compared to 2009. It had been named by Forbes as one of the best B2B platforms in the world for 5 years. Jack Ma (Ma, Yun), the founder of Alibaba, is the key to lead the success of Alibaba. Ma was chosen by the World Economic Forum as a â€Å"Young Global Leader† in 2001; He was named one of the â€Å"25 Most Powerful Businesspeople in Asia† by Fortune in 2005. He shows his charisma always, in front of his employees, and also be admired by all youngsters in China who dream to found their own companies. Jack Ma reveals his transformational leadership from the set-up stage. By envisioning his vision and the desirable future, even though without any promises of return, he built up an 18-â€Å"Arhats† team to start this â€Å"new concept† business in China. After developing B2B business, Jack Ma has created and grasped big opportunities in these 12 years in C2C platform, online payment system, loan service, etc†¦huge investments didn’t give him and his team any chances to retreat, with the high expectations ; inspirational motivations, his team has gained successes of almost all strategic business plans. But recently in Feb, 2010, Alibaba admitted that it had granted â€Å"gold† global suppliers (a mark of supposed integrity) to 2,236 dealers who it says subsequently defrauded buyers globally in 2009 and 2010. The top two executives at Alibaba. com have resigned to accept responsibility. In the statement from Alibaba, an internal investigation had found that about 100 sales staff and â€Å"a number of supervisors and sales managers† were â€Å"directly responsible in either intentionally or negligently allowing the fraudsters to evade† various controls. Conclusion of the investigation report is: Excessive pursuit of performance makes the sales/managers to obtain short-term economic interests by any means, leading to the persistence of fraud. Jack Ma expressed his pity to lost 2 good leaders, especially when they were not personally involved in the fraud for any direct benefits. But Alibaba should be holding on the ethical principles, customer first value. Jack Ma emphasized that Ethics is the baseline when pursuing for performance. Although CEO or Alibaba. com – David Wei had lead to 4 years big increases, he still chose to agree his resignation. However, it shows that as the company is getting bigger, Jack Ma met difficulty to drive his own values ; principles to the whole organization sustainably, if just by personal influence. As a big company already, should be Alibaba directed and managed by one people, or managed based on effective systems are more important at this stage? The origin of the fraud was: the performance evaluation system in B2B team(Alibaba. com) relies on Sales KPI too much. If Ma wants to get company’s value ; principles back, review and re-design would be necessary. As an individual, Ma can’t influence over 22,000 employees directly. When getting to mature stage of Alibaba, Ma’s leadership needs to be more focusing on build up the suitable systems to motivate employees in the right direction. This also reflects in another area, assessing ; selecting the right leaders and the systems to develop talents. In the past 4 years, Ma changed 3 people for CEO for Yahoo(China) from hiring externally. Furthermore, he is still the one who leads the business direction/strategy on his own. In stead of challenging the followers to get them developing fast enough to lead the business, Jack Ma preferred to hire CEO out of Alibaba in the past few years. but still, what’s getting better is, we can see recently, he started to put his followers into bigger ; leading roles to lead the business directly as they are getting more mature. Jack Ma ; Alibaba Group is facing fierce competitions from the threat of new entrants-some big internet companies in China. Let’s talk a look whether Ma’s leadership will help Alibaba group achieve it’s â€Å"Big Taobao† strategy, and go forward in the future. References: 1. Alibaba, China's king of e-commerce, http://www.economist.com/node/17800299 2. Alibaba and the 2236 thieves, http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/02/online-fraud_scandal_china 3. www.alibaba.com 4. http://baike.baidu.com/view/2296.htm

Open Adoptions in Indiana †Family Law Research Paper (300 Level Course)

Open Adoptions in Indiana – Family Law Research Paper (300 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Open Adoptions in Indiana Family Law Research Paper (300 Level Course) An open adoption is one where there is mutual disclosure of personal information about the birthparents and adoptive parents. Such personal information may include names, occupations, family background, medical histories, photographs and in-person meetings. A closed adoption is one where no personal or identifying information is exchanged and an agency handles all details. There are many adoptions today which are open because the birthparents want to have the ability to know and decide about who will be best in raising their child, and the adoptive parents want to know some things about the birthparents. The degree of openness is up to the adoptive parents and the biological parents. Many families choose to have some form of ongoing contact both before and after the adoption, whether it is with letters and photographs or conversations on the phone. In open adoption many birthparents want to arrange an in-person visit before choosing a family they want their child to live with. There are many adoptive parents who send update letters and photographs to the birthparents at least once a year after the adoption has been finalized. An adoption agency can act as an intermediary in these cases and nothing more than first names need be disclosed. In a completely open adoption, there is ongoing contact and visits with the arrangements made by the parties themselves. Many prospective adoptive parents are worried and very concerned about the idea of an open adoption. Some adoptive parents feel that they will suffer a loss of privacy and also worry about unwanted and unexpected contact from the birthparents after the adoption is finalized. Early in the pre-adoption process, the adoptive parents should be counseled about the options and decide how much openness they are willing to have. Once a birthmother has been located, both parties should receive counseling and assistance in developing a mutually agreeable adoption plan whether it is an open adoption or a closed one. In 69% of public and private agency adoptions, the birth parents had met the adoptive couple. (Berry, 1991). Adoptive parents must always remember that birthparents are afraid as well. Adoption agencies perform many functions; counseling birthmothers, counseling adoptive parents and assisting them in adopting, performing pre-licensure home studies, performing post-placement home investigations, taking consents from birthparents, taking temporary custody of newborns pending an adoption and much more. Some adoption agencies provide crisis pregnancy counseling for women, as well as support and living assistance. According to Indiana’s Adoption Program there are many legal aspects of adoption both open and closed that must be followed in order to adopt. Selecting an attorney would be very wise because there are many federal and state laws that apply to adoption which would require certain steps to be followed prior to the finalization of an adoption. The attorney fees will vary around the state and you will need to ask the attorney what fees they charge and how they bill those fees. You may also qualify for a one-time reimbursement of legal fees up to $1500 that your attorney may be able to assist you in applying for. Prospective adoptive parents need an approved Family Preparation Assessment (Home Study) to be recommended for a child who is a ward. Your local county Office of Family and Children (OFC) and/or the private agency (LCPA) that contracts with the county must determine if you have been approved. You are required to have written approval before a child can be placed with you for adoption and through your local court jurisdiction. The consent of the child’s mother, if she is living, is required by law to complete an adoption. The consent of a child’s father who has established paternity or signed a paternity affidavit is also required. The county Office of Family and Children (OFC) may have completed a court action to terminate the parent-child relationship so that a child who is a ward can be legally free for adoption, whether the child’s parents have consented or not determines the type of court action that is necessary. Your attorney should check with the OFC to se e whether all consents have been obtained or determine if the child is legally free for adoption. You will need the consent of the OFC that has the responsibility of care and supervision of the child you wish to adopt for the court proceedings, unless the court finds that their consent is not necessary to serve the best interests of the child. (Indiana’s Adoption Program) If you are an Indiana resident, you may file your adoption petition in the county where you reside, in the county where the child resides, or in the county where the private agency (LCPA) or Office of Family and Children (OFC) has custody of the child. If you are not an Indiana resident, you may petition to adopt a child who is a ward of Indiana in the county where the LCPA or OFC has custody or the county where the child resides. If you are married, both you and your spouse must sign the adoption petition. Partners of an unmarried couple may not petition to adopt together and in such cases, only one partner may be the petitioner. (Indiana’s Adoption Program) The following statistics are based on the Grotevant and McRoy longitudinal study on open adoption. Between 1987-1992, information was collected from 190 adoptive families and 169 birthmothers experiencing varying levels of openness in their adoptions. The data from the study, a snapshot of families taken 4 to 12 years after the adoptive placement, revealed: * Fears that birth parents would attempt to reclaim their children or otherwise intrude on adoptive families lives are not apparent in families with fully disclosed adoptions. * Openness does not interfere with adoptive parents emerging sense of entitlement to parenthood. * Having a fully disclosed adoption does not guarantee successful grief resolution, as is evidenced by the broad range of grief resolution ratings among birthmothers across all adoption arrangements in this study. In the same study, thirty-one adoption agencies were also interviewed on their practice toward the range of openness. The agencies were measured in two time intervals: Time 1 was between 1987 and 1989 and Time 2 was 1993. * Only 11 of the original 31 agencies (35%) offered fully disclosed adoption options as part of their standard practice at Time 1. Four to five years later, 22 of the remaining 29 agencies (76%) offered full disclosed adoptions. * By 1993, 2/3 of the agencies offered the continuum of openness in adoption, from confidential to fully disclose. In 1987, most agencies offered only confidential and mediated adoptions. * 2/3 of the fully disclosed adoptions in this sample did not start as fully disclosed: 5% began as mediated and 14% began as confidential. (Grotevant and McRoy, 1998) I conducted an interview over the phone with a woman named Anna Connaughton whom I met through a friend at a jewelry party. Anna had been married for several years before she and her husband had decided to adopt children. Before the Connaughtons decided to adopt a child they went to an all day class about adoption and many seminars to help them better prepare for the challenges that lay ahead of them in their decision to adopt. Anna and her husband adopted Jack when he was 2 days old, Jack who is now 4 years old is doing well and happy with his adoptive family. Anna and her husband went through a private agency to adopt Jack. Jack was adopted through a mixture of both open and closed adoption. Anna knew all about the biological mother, but the biological mother knew little about them, that is to say she did not know the specifics about them, where they lived, their last name, the personal things in their life. Anna spent three months with the biological mother before Jack was b orn and was there when Jack was born. Anna was also the biological mother’s Lamaze coach. Jack’s biological mother was 17 years old and had decided with her family that having a baby was not in her best interest or the child’s being that young and not living on her own and would not be able to support herself, let alone a child. Jack’s biological mother called an agency with her decision and they helped her locate a family that would love to have the opportunity to adopt Jack as their son. Anna wrote a â€Å"Dear Birthmother† letter to tell a little about herself and her family. The birthmother and her family also looked through many scrap books of families that were looking to adopt and out of those many scrap books she choose to pick the Connaughtons as the family to adopt Jack. Jack was officially adopted when he was two days old. Anna stated that the biological mother and the Connaughtons had to wait 48 hours after the birth of the child for the biological mother to sign the papers which gave the Connaughtons full custody of Jack. Only the Connaughton’s attorney and a counselor from the private adoption agency was allowed in the room to give the papers to the biological mother and have her sign them. The biological father signed away his rights to Jack before he was even born. I found that through my research that this is the case many of the times with the biological father I asked Anna to estimate how much money it cost her and her husband to adopt Jack. She hesitated and told me $18,000. I was astonished and asked her why it was that expensive and she told me that the money went to her attorney and the agency which placed Jack with them. She told me that there was a limit to how much money you could give an agency for the living expenses for the biological mother; she said it was around $3,000. Anna told me that the reason you could only give the mother so much for expenses was because she had heard of women who would shop there unborn child around and collect from many families before deciding who to give her child to. The biological mother has seen Jack three times, but not a lot lately and has had inconsistent contact with the Connaughtons. They send the biological mother pictures and gifts. Anna goes on to say that the biological mother comes in and out of touch for long periods of time and she has stated that she, the biological mother, feels bad on occasion and struggles with the decision she has made, but also realizes that it was the best decision for her and Jack in the long run and would have made the same decision if she had it all over to do again. Anna and her husband feel that it is a good thing that Jack knows he is adopted from the start; they have never tried to hide it from him at all. Anna stated that there are many advantages and disadvantages to the open and closed adoption. Anna states that the adoptive parents are responsible for all the medical expenses acquired by the biological mother during her pregnancy and the adoption process. The Connaughton do receive a tax credit of $10,000 for adoption which helps them provide excellent medical insurance and many of the necessities that are required by a 4 year old boy. She stated that her worst feeling is that the biological mother would one day come into Jacks life and try to interfere at an age he is not ready for. Anna doesn’t feel at this time that the biological mother is ready to see Jack again right now because she has been really inconsistent with her visits and her letters. The letters seem to be directed to Jack now and also as if he were old enough to understand them and what they say, which he is not. She did go on to say that she would keep these letters for Jack and when she feels he is ready she will give them to him at that point in time. Anna did state that open adoptions must feel right and the biological and adoptive parents must have the right fit in order for the adoption to work. Anna further states that open adoption is wonderful because she can answer Jack’s questions whenever he has them and will be able to give him all the answers he needs when he is ready. She then said that she never dreamed she would say that, but it was the truth. The Connaughtons also adopted a little girl from Guatemala who is now a year old. I asked Anna if she would ever adopt again and she said definitely, but this time it would also be an international adoption because domestic is so hard and expensive where as international is easier and you can time it better. I feel that adoption is best when it is open because like Anna, I would want to have information about their birth parents when he or she was ready to seek them out. Your birth parents are a part of you. Ancestors, genetic make-ups, environmental and social developments are all part of who a person is. All of these things make a person complete. Research Papers on Open Adoptions in Indiana - Family Law Research Paper (300 Level Course)Personal Experience with Teen PregnancyOpen Architechture a white paperUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoStandardized TestingThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenHip-Hop is ArtLifes What IfsRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

George Washingtons First Cabinet

George Washington's First Cabinet The President’s cabinet consists of the heads of each of the Executive Departments along with the Vice President. Its role is to advise the president on the issues related to each of the departments. While Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution sets up the ability of the president to select the heads of the executive departments, President George Washington established the â€Å"Cabinet† as his group of advisors who reported in private and solely to the U.S. chief executive officer.  Washington also set the standards for each Cabinet member’s roles and how each would interact with the President. George Washington’s First Cabinet In the first year of George Washington’s presidency, only three executive departments were established. These were the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of War. Washington selected secretaries for each of these positions. His choices were Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, and Secretary of War Henry Knox. While the Department of Justice would not be created until 1870, Washington appointed and included the Attorney General Edmund Randolph in his first cabinet. Although the United States Constitution does not expressly provide for a Cabinet, Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 states that the President â€Å"may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices.†Ã‚  Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 states that the President â€Å"with the advice and consent of the Senate . . . shall appoint . . . all other officers of the United States.† Judiciary Act of 1789 On April 30, 1789, Washington took the oath of office as America’s first President.  It was not until almost five months later, on September 24, 1789, that Washington signed into law the Judiciary Act of 1789 which not only established the office of the U.S. Attorney General but also established a three-part judicial system consisting of: 1. the Supreme Court (which at the time consisted of only a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices); 2. United States District Courts, which heard mainly admiralty and maritime cases; and 3. United States Circuit Courts which were the primary federal trial courts but also exercised very limited appellate jurisdiction. This Act granted the Supreme Court the jurisdiction to hear appeals of decisions which were rendered by the highest court from each of the individual states when the decision addressed constitutional issues which interpreted both federal and state laws.  This provision of the act proved to be extremely controversial, especially among those who favored States rights. Cabinet Nominations Washington waited until September to form his first cabinet. The four positions were quickly filled in only fifteen days. He hoped to balance out the nominations by choosing members from different regions of the newly formed United States. Alexander Hamilton was appointed and quickly approved by the Senate as the first Secretary of the Treasury on September 11, 1789. Hamilton would continue to serve in that position until January 1795. He would have a profound impact on the early economic development of the United States. On September 12, 1789, Washington appointed Knox to oversee the U.S. Department of War.  He was a Revolutionary War hero who had served side-by-side with Washington. Knox would also continue in his role until January 1795. He was instrumental in the creation of the United States Navy. On September 26, 1789, Washington made the last two appointments to his Cabinet, Edmund Randolph as Attorney General and Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. Randolph had been a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and had introduced the Virginia Plan for the creation of a bicameral legislature. Jefferson was a key founding father who had been the central author of the Declaration of Independence. He had also been a member of the first Congress under the Articles of Confederation and had served as a minister to France for the new nation. In contrast to having only four ministers, in 2016 the President’s Cabinet consists of sixteen members which include the Vice President. However, Vice President John Adams never attended a single one of President Washington’s Cabinet meetings. Although Washington and Adams were both federalists and each played very vital roles in the success of the colonists during the Revolutionary War, they hardly ever interacted in their positions as President and Vice President.  Although President Washington is known as being a great administrator, he seldom ever consulted Adams on any issues which caused Adams to write that the office of Vice President was the â€Å"most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.† Issues Facing Washington’s Cabinet President Washington held his first cabinet meeting on February 25, 1793. James Madison coined the term ‘cabinet’ for this meeting of the Executive department heads. Washington’s cabinet meetings soon became quite acrimonious with Jefferson and Hamilton taking opposite positions over the issue of a national bank that was part of Hamilton’s financial plan. Hamilton had created a financial plan to deal with the major economic issues that had arisen since the end of the Revolutionary War. At that time, the federal government was in debt in the amount of $54 million (which included interest), and the states collectively owed an additional $25 million. Hamilton felt that the federal government should take over the states’ debts. To pay for these combined debts, he proposed the issuance of bonds that people could buy which would pay interest over time. In addition, he called for the creation of a central bank to create a more stable currency. While northern merchants and traders mostly approved of Hamilton’s plan, southern farmers, including Jefferson and Madison, vehemently opposed it. Washington privately supported Hamiltons plan believing that it would give much needed financial support to the new nation. Jefferson, however, was instrumental in creating a compromise whereby he would convince the Southern-based Congressmen to support Hamilton’s financial plan in exchange for moving the US Capital city from Philadelphia to a Southern location. President Washington would help choose its location on the Potomac River due to its proximity to Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. This would later be known as Washington, D.C. which has been the nation’s capital ever since. As a side note, Thomas Jefferson was the very first President to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. in March 1801 which at the time was a swampy location near the Potomac with a population that numbered around 5000 people.

Italian Cuisines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Italian Cuisines - Essay Example The first course (primi or minestra) can be a risotto, a soup, or pasta served in a broth or sauced. No matter what is served first, it is served in a bowl, and it always, always precedes the meat, fish, or fowl course. When dining out in Italy, the choice of a second course is made after you've eaten the first course. This way, a diner can evaluate the experience of the first course and decide on its best counterpoint for the second. One or two vegetable dishes (contorno) often round out this course. For example, "fish" is the theme of this meal composed by Marcella Hazan. The antipasto is tiny boiled shrimp served warm and seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley. Next (primi) comes a squid and clam risotto to make "peppery comments." Then (secondi), a turbot baked with potatoes and garlic is served. After the turbot, a bitter salad of radicchio and field greens cleanses the palate. The closing course is fresh fruit sliced and served in wine. The Mediterranean diet is all the rage these days - it has a reputation for being sinfully delicious while possessing the virtue of being extremely healthful. Yet when asked to define it, many folks have hard time coming up with a good description. Not surprising. Any country contiguous with the Mediterranean Sea, from Morocco to Greece and from Spain to Israel, can rightly claim that its cuisine qualifies as a form of the Mediterranean diet. Indeed there are hundreds perhaps thousands of variations of the Mediterranean diet as micro-cuisines vary from village to village. In Italy alone there are subtle nuances that distinguish the cuisines of different regions and villages. Roman, Tuscan, Ligurian, Neapolitan and Sicilian cuisine, to name handful of broad categories, are all variations on the Italian version of the Mediterranean Diet. It is the south/central Italian version of the Mediterranean diet, which we will focus on in this course. It is among the healthiest of all Mediterranean cuisines, and we believe is the most delicious. Despite the many variations of the Mediterranean diet, there are some common characteristics that are found in all the healthiest versions. Perhaps the single most important feature that unites all these cuisines is olive oil. It is a vehicle for the tastes that permeate these cuisines and it is the elixir of health that makes them so beneficial. Olive oil is the source of almost all fat in the health Mediterranean diet, there is very little saturated fat from meat and not many other vegetable oils either. Not only is olive oil a beneficial monounsaturated fat, it carries many important anti-oxidants along with it. But perhaps the most important characteristic is simply that it makes vegetables taste absolutely delicious. This encourages the avid consumption of vegetables that is so characteristic of the healthy Mediterranean diet. Broccoli, spinach, tomatoes (technically a fruit), and scores of other vegetables and plant foods have, individually and collectively, been associated with lower