Karma Essays (2962 words) - Shabda, Reincarnation,

Karma KARMA and REINCARNATION Navigate: Ashram| Gurudeva | Newspaper | Church | Temple | Resources | HHE | Himalayan Academy Home Page The twin beliefs of karma and reincarnation are among Hinduism's many jewels of knowledge. Others include dharma or our pattern of religious conduct, worshipful communion with God and Gods, the necessary guidance of the Sat Guru, and finally enlightenment through personal realization of our identity in and with God. So the strong-shouldered and keen-minded rishis knew and stated in the Vedas. And these are not mere assumptions of probing, brilliant minds. They are laws of the cosmos. As God's force of gravity shapes cosmic order, karma shapes experiential order. Our long sequence of lives is a tapestry of creating and resolving karmas-positive, negative and an amalgam of the two. During the succession of a soul's lives-through the mysteries of our higher chakras and God's and Guru's Grace-no karmic situation will arise that exceeds an individual's ability to resolve it in love and understanding. Many people are very curious about their past lives and expend great time, effort and money to explore them. Actually, this curious probing into past lives is unnecessary. Indeed it is a natural protection from reliving past trauma or becoming infatuated more with our past lives that our present life that the inner recesses of the muladhara memory chakra are not easily accessed. For, as we exist now is a sum total of all our past lives. In our present moment, our mind and body state is the cumulative result of the entire spectrum of our past lives. So, no matter how great the intellectual knowing of these two key principles, it is how we currently live that positively shapes karma and unfolds us spiritually. Knowing the laws, we are responsible to resolve blossoming karmas from past lives and create karma that, projected into the future, will advance, not hinder, us. Karma literally means deed or act, but more broadly describes the principle of cause and effect. Simply stated, karma is the law of action and reaction which governs consciousness. In physics-the study of energy and matter-Sir Isaac Newton postulated that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Push against a wall. Its material is molecularly pushing back with a force exactly equal to yours. In metaphysics, karma is the law that states that every mental, emotional and physical act, no matter how insignificant, is projected out into the psychic mind substance and eventually returns to the individual with equal impact. The akashic memory in our higher chakras faithfully records the soul's impressions during its series of earthly lives, and in the astral/mental worlds in-between earth existences. Ancient yogis, in psychically studying the time line of cause/effect, assigned three categories to karma. The first is sanchita, the sum total of past karma yet to be resolved. The second category is prarabdha, that portion of sanchita karma being experienced in the present life. Kriyamana, the third type, is karma you are presently creating. However, it must be understood that your past negative karma can be altered into a smoother, easier state through the loving, heart-chakra nature, through dharma and sadhana. That is the key of karmic wisdom. Live religiously well and you will create positive karma for the future and soften negative karma of the past. Truths and Myths About Karma Karma operates not only individually, but also in ever-enlarging circles of group karma where we participate in the sum karma of multiple souls. This includes family, community, nation, race and religion, even planetary group karma. So if we, individually or collectively, unconditionally love and give, we will be loved and given to. The individuals or groups who act soulfully or maliciously toward us are the vehicle of our own karmic creation. The people who manifest your karma are also living through past karma and simultaneously creating future karma. For example, if their karmic pattern did not include miserliness, they would not be involved in your karma of selfishness. Another person may express some generosity toward you, fulfilling the gifting karma of your past experience. Imagine how intricately interconnected all the cycles of karma are for our planet's life forms. Many people believe in the principle of karma,

About Zaha Hadid, First Woman Architect to Win a...

About Zaha Hadid, First Woman Architect to Win a... Born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1950, Zaha Hadid was the first woman to win a Pritzker Architecture Prize AND the first woman to win a Royal Gold Medal in her own right. Her work experiments with new spatial concepts and encompasses all fields of design, ranging from urban spaces to products and furniture. At the age of 65, young for any architect, she died suddenly of a heart attack. Background: Born: October 31, 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq Died: March 31, 2016 in Miami Beach, Florida Education: 1977: Diploma Prize, Architectural Association (AA) School of Architecture in LondonStudied mathematics at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon prior to moving to London in 1972 Selected Projects: From parking garages and ski-jumps to vast urban landscapes, Zaha Hadids works have been called bold, unconventional, and theatrical. Zaha Hadid studied and worked under Rem Koolhaas, and like Koolhaas, she often brings a deconstructivist approach to her designs. Since 1988, Patrik Schumacher had been Hadids closest design partner. Schumacher is said to have coined the tern parametricism to describe the curvaceous, computer-aided designs of Zaha Hadid Architects. Since Hadids death, Schumacher is leading the company to fully embrace parametric design in the 21st Century. 1993: A fire station for the Vitra Company in Weil am Rhein, Germany2000: Inaugural Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London, UK2001: Terminus Hoenheim-Nord, a park and ride and tramway on the outskirts of Strasbourg, France2002: Bergisel Ski Jump, Austria2003: The Richard and Lois Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati, Ohio2005: Phà ¦no Science Center in Wolfsburg, Germany2008: Pedestrian Bridge and Exposition Pavilions, Zaragoza, Spain2009: MAXXI: National Museum of 21st Century Arts, Rome, Italy2010: Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Abu Dhabi, UAE2010: Guangzhou Opera House, China2011: Riverside Museum of Transport, Glasgow, Scotland2011: Aquatics Centre, London, United Kingdom; and post-Olympic reconfiguration in 20142011: CMA CGM Corporate Headquarters, Marseille, France2012: Pierres Vives, Montpellier, France2012: Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan2012: Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University in East Lansing2012: Galaxy SOHO, Beijing, China2013: Hadid Res idences for CityLife, Milan, Italy 2014: Messner Mountain Museum at Plan de Corones, South Tyrol, Italy2017: Expected completion of Hadid Tower, office skyscraper for CityLife, Milan, Italy2017: Expected completion of One Thousand Museum Condos, Miami, Florida2022: (proposed) al-Wakrah Stadium, Qatar Other Works: Zaha Hadid is also known for her exhibition designs, stage sets, furniture, paintings, drawings, and shoe designs. Partnerships: Zaha Hadid worked at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) with her former teachers, Rem Koolhaas and Elia ZenghelisIn 1979, Zaha Hadid opened her own practice, Zaha Hadid Architects. Patrik Schumacher joined her in 1988. Working with senior office partner, Patrik Schumacher, Hadids interest lies in the rigorous interface between architecture, landscape, and geology as her practice integrates natural topography and human-made systems, leading to experimentation with cutting-edge technologies. Such a process often results in unexpected and dynamic architectural forms.- Resnicow Schroeder Major Awards and Honors: 1982: Gold Medal Architectural Design, British Architecture for 59 Eaton Place, London2000: Honourable Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters2002: Commander of the British Empire2004: Pritzker Architecture Prize2010, 2011: Stirling Prize, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)2012: Order of the British Empire, Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to Architecture2016: Royal Gold Medal, RIBA Learn More: Zaha Hadid was the first woman to win a Pritzker Architecture Prize. Learn more from Citation from the 2004 Pritzker Prize Jury.Zaha Hadid: Form in Motion by Kathryn B. Hiesinger (Philadelphia Museum of Art), Yale University Press, 2011 (catalog of commercial designs, made between 1995 and 2011)Zaha Hadid: Minimum Series by Margherita Guccione, 2010Zaha Hadid and Suprematism, Exhibition Catalog, 2012Zaha Hadid: Complete Works Source: Resnicow Schroeder biography, 2012 press release at resnicowschroeder.com/rsa/upload/PM/645_Filename_BIO%20-%20Zaha%20Hadid%20Oct%202012.pdf [accessed November 16, 2012]

The democratic and participative management styles Essay

The democratic and participative management styles - Essay Example When the employees feel that they are being involved in the decision-making process, they tend to give more feedback and ideas that may be beneficial for the management. It is in fact, the employees at the bottom level who are doing most of the hands-on job of the organization. Allowing them to take part in the decision-making process gives them the idea that management is willing to listen to them and to consider them as important members of the organization not just robots that they command to do certain things.  In the consultative style, the management raises the issue with the employees and considers the employees’ ideas and opinions regarding the issue. The employees become part of the decision-making process because the management opens its doors for feedback and opinions of the employees. This is the same for the participative management style. The difference lies in the final decision-making process. In the consultative style, the management takes responsibility and accountability of the final decision. The final decision may be influenced by the employees’ feedback. With this, the management makes the employees feel they are involved in the decision-making process but they do not share the responsibility of the decision. The management is able to create an open environment, however, the downside of this style happens when the management’s decision does not conform to the majority or minority of the group. This might create a feeling of rejection for those who gave.

The Act of Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Act of Union - Essay Example In eastern and Central Europe, many new nations were formed during the twentieth century and they ended up disregarding requirements in the Union agreements based upon relinquishing territorial membership.1 In 1707, the Act of Union was created so as to bind Scotland with the other nations constituting the United Kingdom. A number of other amendments were made to the Union with the first one being in 1801. Other Acts were also created to further specify the issues in the Act of Union and these included the Parliament Act, the people's Acts, the Scotland Act etc. In the Act of Union., Scotland is still recognised as a legal and political entity on is own. This is the reason some elements of the Scottish legal system are distinct to this part of the world. Additionally, this is the reason why Scotland is allowed to posses its own maritime system. On the other hand, there are certain things that Scotland as a state cannot institute. First of all, the Act of Union requires that the United Kingdom Parliament be the main body that legislates for the constituent countries. Additionally, the constitution also stipulates that only ministers from the UK parliament have the right to hold executive powers. In other words, the constitution stipulates that Scotland should operate under territorial rather than state-wide powers. The Act of Union is instrumental in spelling out the accountability of parliament to its people in the entire UK region. It also specifies how the Cabinet, Prime ministers and junior cabinet are to be structured. 2 In the legal system, the Act of Union allows Scottish courts to operate somewhat independently; however, it specifies that appeals must be directed to the Privy Council, the House of Lords or the UK Supreme court. It can therefore be said that the Act of Union acts as a check on the Scottish judiciary system. Through these territorial mechanisms, the Scottish legal system is kept under check because they are held accountable to these regional systems. If the Act of Union were to be disregarded, then chances are that some cases or issues that have been subject to appeal in the UK judicial system would be left unguarded and this may impede certain rights of the Scottish people. As the country is currently, the Act of Union has ensured that the Scottish judiciary is highly accountable and has thus improved its performance. The UK Parliament has been granted the ability to scrutinise the goings on in the government and the country at large. If the Act of Union were to be eliminated, then this function may be undermined. Scotland is in a position where it would require intense restructuring and revision in order to be able to carry out scrutiny of its government through an independent Parliament. The Act of Union is also relevant in terms of describing some of the rights and duties of employees or companies that operate within other borders within the United Kingdom. This constitution clearly states that the UK government is the one with the powers to scrutinise or enhance accountability within corporate bodies operating in the UK. Consequently, the Act of Union is important in preserving these rights. It specifies issues such as terms and conditions of employment, pay or compensation,

Propaganda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Propaganda - Essay Example This is because it has a way of distorting truths. The media helps in spreading propaganda to reach a wide target audience. The intention of the conveyer of the message is usually to create an understanding that is different from the people’s belief. For instance, a leader can use propaganda to propagate hate in communities. The leader can mislead the masses by giving them false information concerning the ongoing in the government. Interestingly, propaganda contains some element of truth as indicated by Jowett, Garth & Victoria (289). However, propagandist coats the lie with facts to deceive the audiences. Sometimes people who spread propaganda base their information on rumors in most circumstances. In addition, there are occasions when individuals spread propaganda unknowingly. Authorities use propaganda in justifying certain behaviors in the society. This mode of communication during the holocaust period appeared to support the heinous acts perpetrated by the supporters of the Nazi movement in Germany. Besides, I have come to realize that the use of propaganda can be beneficial of the society. For instance, campaigns to sensitize individuals in the community can take the form of propaganda. Consequently, the government can use it to eliminate fears among the masses by providing information concerning certain events in the society. There are times in which propaganda fails to reach its target audience. For example, the opponents of the ideology might receive propaganda aimed at convincing the supporters of a given ideology positively (Jowett, Garth & Victoria 307). Moreover, propaganda creates confusion when the message conveyed to the audience is incomplete. As such, it has contributed to rise of conflicts in the societies. The use of propaganda is not a new concept in the society. Records indicate that civilizations used it in communication during the 15th century. It began as a

The general concept of contemporary strategic procurement

The general concept of contemporary strategic procurement This research paper introduces the general concept of contemporary strategic procurement and some of contemporary strategic procurement issues, including services procurement, corporate social responsibility, procurement in merging market, ethics in procurement. But this research paper focuses on such issues as sustainable procurement including its benefits and some main environmental issues that should be taken into account in the procurement activity, based on a global mining organization, Rio Tinto Group. Those main environmental issues mentioned in this research paper refer to climate change and greenhouse gas emission. Next, it is discussed that how to implement the sustainable procurement strategy and it takes Rio Tinto Group as an example. Later in the research paper it is discussed an important question that is why it is critical for mining organization to be sensitive to sustainability and from three respects including resource scarcity, environmental impact, and supplier se lection. At last, it is showed that a critical market mechanism, carbon emission trading, which is a hot topic with the development of sustainable economy. It is on the purpose of achieving greenhouse gas emission reduction. Introduction In recent years, corporations are in the intense global competition. It is evident that it is hard for company to remain its competitive advantage just by production and sales. Nowadays, increasingly more organizations view procurement as a critical source for improving the competitive advantage. However, the conventional procurement is lacking of explicit procurement strategy, whats more, is neglecting to form the long-term relationships with the supplier. Facing with all kinds of development tendency affects procurement prospective, companies are demanded to pay close attention to the strategic procurement. What is strategic procurement? To begin with, strategic procurement is the procurement which distinguishes from the conventional procurement that focuses on purchasing items at a possible lowest price. In other words, strategic procurement concentrates on total cost ownership (TCO), namely, life cycle cost (LCC). Secondly, strategic procurement is that through advanced planning, scheduling, and team purchasing initiatives as well, a company can achieve effective cost reduction. Apart from hard dollar savings, there will be additional savings generated through a more efficient business operations and hence increased profitability. In the case of resource limitation of a corporation, explicitly understand internal demand and external supply, supplier capacity and market condition, in order to manage the relationships with suppliers effectively and efficiently and to establish the long-term strategic partnerships with suppliers. By means of strategic procurement, it enables company to be aware of its type of internal demand more explicitly so as to make control of the demand. In once sense, through some valuable analysis an organization can make clearer of the production process of supplier and cost structure even than the supplier, and these analysis also supports the organization in terms of supplier selection, negotiation, supplier relationships management and so on. Therefore, the organization can give up supplier who doesnt meet requirements, moreover, look for the new substitute to improve the holistic level of supplier. When it comes to the critical principles of strategic procurement, the lowest acquisition cost, win-win strategic partnership, integrated purchasing capability and so on should be taken into account. With the development of contemporary strategic procurement, it indicates a host of strategic procurement issues such as services procurement, corporate social responsibility, procurement in merging market, ethics in procurement. This research paper focuses on sustainable procurement and some environmental issues like carbon emission and climate change, with Rio Tinto Group which is a world leader in finding, mining and processing the earths mineral products include aluminum, copper, diamonds, gold, and energy products such as coal and uranium, and industrial minerals like borax, titanium dioxide, salt, talc, zircon, a nd iron ore. As we know, sustainability is one of the hottest topics people talk about in this modern society. Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For human beings, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Another word which is also mentioned is sustainable development. Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come. In the concept of business, sustainable procurement, also called green procurement, is a spending and investment process typically associated with public policy, although it is equally applicable to the private sector. Sustainable procurement broadens the framework of procurement which has historically been based on two criteria, price and quality. It takes account of third-party consequences of procurement decisions, forming a triple baseline of external concerns which the buying organization must fulfill. There are two essential parts in terms of sustainable procurement. First part is to purchase raw materials and/or products to meet the current customers needs and/or to meet the requirements of production to fulfill current customers demands. Second part is to preserve the ability of the coming generations to meet their needs. Sustainable procurement encompasses all issues where procurement is seen as having a role in delivering economic, social and environmental policy objectives. Specifically speaking, sustainable procurement means that when buying goods and services, some consideration needs to be taken into account. For instance, avoid unnecessary consumption and manage demand; minimize environmental impacts of the goods and services over the whole-of-life of the goods and services; consider suppliers socially responsible practices including compliance with legislative obligations to employees and value fo r money over the whole-of-life of the goods and services rather than just initial cost. In addition, use sustainable or recycled materials and/or products; consider the availability of the product. Organizations practicing sustainable procurement meet their needs for goods, services, utilities and works not only on a private cost-benefit analysis, but also to society and the economy, whilst minimizing damage to the environment. Sustainability can be incorporated into the whole procurement process: defining the need, evaluating options, design and specifying, supplier selection, tender evaluation, post-contract management and supplier development. It has been already integrated within the mainstream of procurement policy and practice. If the mining industry is to retain its access to resources, it must understand the sustainability better. Thus, it can continuously improve its performance and succeed in restoring public trust. How significant is sustainable procurement? To begin with, there are a number of environmental issues with mining organizations including Rio Tinto. Environmental issues can include climate change, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil, groundwater and surface water. In particular, that people pay more attention is climate change which is a hot topic of discussion worldwide. In recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, climate change usually refers to changes in modern climate. It may be qualified as anthropogenic climate change, more generally known as global warming or anthropogenic global warming. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of earths near-surface air and ocean; arise from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. Global warming results in extreme weather, increased freshwater flow, sea level and temperature rise, and it is detrimental to the social system and biological system. As matter of fact, a host of activities of human beings and companies are contr ibuting to climate change. For instance, Rio Tinto Groups coal operations contributed to global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions are the most important cause of global warming. As a consequence, in order to achieve environmental protection thus resource can be met not only in the present but also for generations to come, at the same time, not bring harm to the economic interest of a company, the company needs to conduct sustainable development. Among the contemporary strategic procurement issues, sustainable procurement is listed into a key issue. When it comes to the benefits of sustainable procurement, first of all, it reduces adverse environmental impacts arising from the procurement activities of human beings and companies. For instance, it reduces waste to landfill, saves water, reduces air and water pollution, saves money through reusing materials and products, reduces consumption of both natural and processed resource, and decreases carbon emission. In terms of carbon emission, as mentioned above, it is the most critical cause of global warming and is mostly generated by the heavy industries like the mining organization. As one of serious issues that all mankind faces, a host of developing countries even some developed countries are taking actions to limit carbon emission primarily via some economic and political measures such as voluntary agreement, carbon dioxide tax and carbon trading. Carbon emissions trading is a form of emissions trading that specifically targets carbon dioxide and it currently constitutes the bul k of emissions trading. It is a general method that countries utilize so as to fulfill their responsibility specified by the Kyoto Protocol. In this respect, sustainable procurement builds a sustainable supply chain for the future. And it is with the addition of assisting in the protection of environmental biodiversity all over the globe, and ensuring the health and safety of the community. Secondly, it is the benefit from more sustainable goods and services. That means by choosing to invest in the sustainable solutions, it can influence the decisions made by other bodies and by individuals. Demand for sustainable goods and services can help to make these solutions more generally available, at more affordable prices to the purchasers. Buyers who conduct sustainable procurement will also demand their suppliers for sustainable products and services. As a result, the whole supply chain will become sustainable. Thirdly, sustainable procurement will be likewise more efficient use of shar eholders resources. Specifically, for the shareholders, what they pay most attention is the cost. And sustainable procurement reduces costs through greater energy efficiency, waste disposal, risk management, and the costs for products over the life cycle. In general, sustainable procurement plays a key role in the both economic and environmental development in that it identifies more sustainable ways of meeting requirements and designs sustainable procurement specifications accordingly. The approach can address the social, economic and environmental implications of product and service choices. It also can embrace whole life costing and address how aspects such as design, manufacturing materials, operating costs, energy consumption, waste and recycling options support a more sustainable approach. How to implement the sustainable procurement strategy? Sustainable procurement is a product of sustainable thinking throughout the entire organization. The organization must share the drive, responsibility and the commitment and this should be reflected in policies, strategies and procedures. Every organization should develop its own plan to improve the sustainability of its procurement activity. The plan should declare the future plans in terms of improvement showing what and by when they will be achieved. Chief Executives and senior management must demonstrate leadership and a genuine commitment by incorporating sustainability objectives into their procurement activities, policies and strategies. All those involved in specifying demands and procuring goods and services need to contribute to incorporating sustainability into contracts.4 It is critical that those who originate and develop requirements consider sustainability at the outset and through each stage of the process. Information and training on the importance and value of speci fying and purchasing sustainably is also essential for all the staff in the organization and organizational procedures and plans should reflect this. Sustainable procurement will come about only if the organization and those within it understand, and are committed to, operating sustainably. Organizations need to keep to all environmental legislative and regulatory rules when buying products, services and works; integrate the environment into procurement decisions; raise staff concerning and awareness on environmental issues into procurement by providing relevant information and training; get products, services locally wherever possible taking into account the need to achieve best value for money; and get energy supplies generated from renewable sources. At Rio Tinto Group, they have their own procurement department called Rio Tinto Procurement (RTP). They focus on the ways in which it can bring sustainable socio-economic benefits to the areas in which it operates, namely mining business. Rio Tinto Procurement claims that they deliver value to the Rio Tinto Group by providing a safer, efficient and effective procurement and inbound supply chain service to business units and functions. With respect to sustainability, Rio Tinto Procurement also declares they conduct their procurement activity in a manner that is holistic, transparent and sustainable. Respect for the environment is central to their approach to sustainable procurement. Rio Tinto Procurement seeks to contribute to sustainable development. Specifically, in the process of procurement activity, they work as closely as possible with their host countries and communities, respecting their host countries laws and customs. They minimize adverse effects and strive to improve every aspect of their procurement performance. Before they make decisions in terms of what kind of material to purchase, Rio Tinto Procurement will competitively test the material commitments to ensure that Rio Tinto obtains the best value available considering all relevant factors, such as safety, quality, delivery, specification, price, environmental and community impact and sustainable development. They believe that conducting a successful business and sustaining quality of life and the environment go hand in hand. Their commitment to responsible stewardship and business practice benefits society by keeping economies and the planet healthy for the future generations, and it benefits the company by enhancing its long-standing reputation as a good business partner and neighbor. Firstly, for society, Rio Tinto Procurement provides goods jobs, goods opportunities and a safe working environment for all employees, and partnering with neighbors to deal with a variety of issues that affect th e communities. Secondly, for environment, they minimize their environmental footprint and maximize the contribution their products make to the environment. Thirdly, for economy, they create value for their customers, shareholders, employees and economies. Why is it critical for mining organization to be sensitive to sustainability? One of the implications is that the conventional technical and professional strengths of mining and metals people are no longer sufficient for the requirements of today. Companies need to ensure that they are sensitive to sustainability. Then, why is it critical for mining organization to be sensitive to sustainability? As we know, mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, normally from an ore body, vein or coal seam. It also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock salt and potash. Mining resources are one of the most critical natural resources and are the important material foundation of society. For example, mineral fuel and iron are basic need of the country. Copper, lead and zinc are mostly used in industries. While gold and silver is used in industrial development. Nickel, manganese, fluorspar, vanadium, tungsten, a sbestos, mica, mercury, graphite, antimony a tin used in various industries. However all of them are non-renewable resources. From the perspective of sustainable procurement in the mining organization, what to concern is less investment while high productivity, as well as environmental protection. That means purchase the raw materials and relative accessories used to production at the reasonable prices to meet mankinds requirement and to improve peoples life quality, at the same time, eliminate the negative effects to the ecology. First of all, from the perspective of resource, sustainable development of resources focuses on exploring new ways to maximize the value of the resources. The first key question is whether the resources all over the globe are utilized adequately? As we know, a characteristic of all the resource is the scarcity. That means resource whatever tangible and intangible is all limited. Resource which is rich today will be exhausted one day in the future. Whats more, resource is a core element for any company, especially for the mining company. In recent years, it indicates that with the dramatical development of technology and productivity the demand of mineral resources is at all-time high in that economic prosperity and societal wellbeing require a safe and reliable supply of energy and mineral resources. For instance, in USA, it consumed 35 billion tons petroleum, 7.3 billion tons steel, 140 million tons copper and 200 million tons aluminum during 20 century. Although a plenty of mineral resource is enough for the production for this generation and a few next generations, these mineral products will be exhausted eventually in a certain generation. It is reported that there exists potential risks in terms of the quantity of other mineral resource excluding coal in Peoples Republic of China. As a result, mining organization needs to pay more attention to procure the mineral resources sustainably. Some mining organizations which conduct sustainable procurement emphasize that renewable resources, recycling, resource substitution, and increases in efficiency and conservation are needed to enhance the stability and security of non-renewable energy and mineral resources supply and demand. Some substitution can extend the mineral supplies. At Rio Tinto Procurement, their approaches is not only discovering new mineral resources, but also finding ways to contribute to recycling as well as looking for more sustainable materials and ingredients in order to preserve the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Some recycled materials should be taken into account in the process of procurement activity. In terms of recycled materials and resources, Rio Tinto also does a significant job. It is reported that 20 percent of the materials that are used in the production comes from recycled content. The second key question is whether the certain material needs to used really. This means that both the end customers of the products and the buyers have to review their product requirements and identify potential opportunities for increasing the efficiency of use. It can both cut procurement costs and save the resources which can be used more suitably. Secondly, from the perspective of environment, sustainable procurement of mineral resources also concentrates on the environmental protection. For instance, a new process at BMA Peak Downs Mine (Australia) is not only decreasing coal loss by nearly nine percent, but also improving the mines sustainability performance via reducing the area disturbed, waste production and fuel consumption, the latter assisting to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets. When the organization purchases goods and services, environmental issues should be taken into account. As a consequence, organization should purchase materials which bring less environmental impacts to both current and future life. It is inevitable for the mining organization to create adverse environmental impacts in the operations. As mentioned above, it mainly refers to climate change, carbon dioxide emission. For instance, at Rio Tinto Alcan which is one of five product groups operated by Rio Tinto and is a global supplier of high qua lity bauxite, alumina and aluminum, they invest in zero and low emission technology research, development and deployment to address climate change issue because the aluminum industry generates approximately one percent of global greenhouses gases emissions in the integrated production of aluminum products. Therefore, by running sustainable procurement, it enables Rio Tinto Alcan to reduce operating costs, enhance product value and quality with less impact on the environment. In order to produce products that meet the requirements of sustainable development, procurement department is also responsible for buying the raw materials and ingredients which have less adverse impacts on the environment. For example, at Rio Tinto, they procure low emitting materials that include adhesives, sealants, paints, primers, carpeting and composite wood products to support the manufacturing activity. Rio Tinto Procurement also carefully selected products to avoid volatile organic compounds, formaldehy des and other hazardous and irritating chemicals, ensuring that products they procured are with hazard to both living beings and environment as little as possible. Additionally, Rio Tinto Procurement is also working to better understand the future needs for metals and minerals. Sustainable procurement considers not only materials, environmental effects, but also supplier selection. Under the condition of strategic procurement, company has not focused on purchasing items at a possible lowest price. Normally, when conducting sustainable procurement it is essential for organization to make sure that suppliers and contractors are aware of environmental issues and policies, promote environmental awareness among suppliers and encourage them to minimize the environmental impacts of the supply chain. Take Rio Tinto Procurement as an example. Rio Tinto Procurement sources its suppliers with high criteria. Firstly, Rio Tintos suppliers and potential suppliers must meet the requirements of sustainable development. In other words, they must be able to demonstrate strong organizational commitments to the sustainable development such as natural resource conservation and management, carbon and greenhouse gas emission reduction, energy and fuel efficiency, waste minimizati on, improved health and safety, human rights and labor practices. Rio Tinto Procurement values suppliers whose policies and practices demonstrate active awareness of and support for sustainable development principles and help them achieve the goals of sustainable development. Through collaborating with suppliers to obtain the objectives of sustainable development, Rio Tinto Procurement seeks to create business relationships that have positive and enduring effects in the developing economies where they operate. As a result, suppliers who are safe, efficient, and meet the requirements of sustainability play a critical role in Rio Tintos success. General speaking, one of key factors of sustainable procurement is to motivate vendors to offer more sustainable products. Company may share supplier information with respect to products functional performance specifications including sustainability instead of the technical specifications of known products. Carbon emission trading In addition, sustainable development cannot be achieved by industry alone. It requires concerted collaborative effort from industry, governments, inter-governmental agencies and civil society. For instance, as a key word of sustainable development, carbon emission trading plays an important role in sustainable procurement. Carbon emission trading is a form of market mechanism on the purpose of achieving greenhouse gas emission reduction, especially reducing carbon dioxide emission. This form of permit trading was specified by the Kyoto Protocol that takes market mechanism as a new method that resolves the issue in terms of greenhouse gas emission reduction. In other words, it is a market-based approach that trades carbon dioxide emission credits. Specifically, if an organization comes in below the limit of allocation of allowable emissions, they can sell the remainder of the allocation. On the other hand, if a company produces carbon dioxide more than its allocation of allowable emis sions, they either have to offset that or buy additional allocation. Rio Tinto is encouraging governments to implement workable fair trading schemes. They invest capital in developing new technologies such as AP technology which is the most efficient approach of smelting aluminum, low emissions processing for iron ore, and block cave mining process which reduces materials handling and allows the ore to begin to break itself during the handling process. As new technologies become available, these will be adapted to further reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency. Conclusion All in all, procurement has never played such as important role in the increasingly globalized economy. Strategic procurement can mean completely different things in different industries and sectors. What cannot be denied is procurement decisions are more and more based on total supply chain cost, carbon footprint impact, other ethical, social and economic factors, rather than just purchase prices. In this modern society that people emphasizes sustainability and sustainable development, contemporary strategic procurement should also pay more attention to sustainable procurement and environmental issues. Sustainability requires the purchasing organization to be aware of both life cycle costs (LCC) and the life cycle environmental impact associated with their purchase decision and to add these factors into their supplier selection as well as relationships with suppliers. Organization which has a better understanding of sustainable procurement may implement the following three points: m inimizing impacts of the supply chain, minimizing impacts of the product and/or service, and buying resource efficient products. And their sustainable procurement activity considers products, services, and suppliers. It includes issues such as resource extraction and consumption, manufacturing and production, use and maintenance, recycling and disposal options. As a result, this organization can obtain significant economic interest, at the same time, maintain the sustainable development of ecology, keep the resources for next generations and make an effort in its social responsibility.

Dantes Inferno in Comparison to Christianity and The Media Essay

Dantes Inferno in Comparison to Christianity and The Media Dante's Inferno is a strange journey through hell, which at times seems familiar but then sometimes seems unexpected. As an American and a Christian it is possible to think that my opinion on this could be crafted from my religion and our society, particularly its media. In my mind I see hell as this place of immense torment bestowed on sinners. My faith has taught me that those who sin go to hell to be punished. Dante's adventure clearly shows that the souls of hell are punished, as I thought. Punishments range from living in filth to painful tortures. What my religion or any movies or television shows I've seen mentioned is the idea of a hierarchy. The idea of hell being made up of circles that descend based on sin. While this idea makes sense, I have never been exposed to that thought, so it a little surprising, but also interesting. My view of hell was this burning hole where all the souls of sinners kind of dwell together. I basically felt that a sin is a sin, this is probably because it was instil...

Hassan’s Story Essay

A).Which clue would tell Stefan which scapular surface was anterior and which was posterior? What is the name of the shallow, oval socket of the scapular that Stefan placed next to the humerus? When he pulled out the two bundles, each containing a narrow S-shaped bone. Turning them over in his hands, he quickly decided which was right and which left, then placed each clavicle by its neighboring scapula. In order to determine if a scapula is right or left, orient it so the glenoid fossa (articulating surface) faces laterally (outward) and the spine is posterior (toward back) and superior (upper). The coracoid process should be superior and anterior. Glenoid cavity is what he place next to the humerus. B).Which bone is Stefan referring to as the Collarbone? Clavical C).Which surface markings could Stefan use to distinguish the right humerus from the left? The head, deltoid, tuberosity, and olecranon and pointed styloid process of the ulna, and the circular head and wide styloid process of the radius. The deltoid tuberosity on the right was somewhat larger on the left. D).Why would Stefan think that an enlarged right deltoid tuberosity might indicate right handedness? It was because the right was somewhat larger than the left. E).What is the location of the public symphsis Stefan refers to I the story? The pubic symphysis or symphysis pubis is the midline cartilaginous joint uniting the superior of the left and right pubic bones. It is located anterior to the urinary bladder and superior to the external genitalia; for females it is above the vulva and for males it is above the penis. F).Which adaptation would have taken place in the pubic symphysis of the female skeleton during the later stages of her pregnancy in preparation for the birthing process? Skeletal joints such as the pubic symphysis and sacroiliac widen or have increased laxity. G).What clues could Stefan have used to identify the gender of the pelvis? It’s lack of brow ridge development and pelvic appearance. H). How would Stefan have distinguished between the right and left hip bones? The hips have three separate bone, ilium, ischium, and pubis. I).Would the bones of each hip bone be fused in the female child’s skeleton? No, not until the age of 23.

A Brief History of Writing

A Brief History of Writing The history of writing instruments, which humans have used to record and convey  thoughts, feelings and grocery lists is, in some ways, the history of civilization itself. It is through the drawings, signs, and words weve recorded that weve come to understand the story of our species.   Some of the first tools used by early humans were the hunting club and the handy sharpened-stone. The latter, initially used as an all-purpose skinning and killing tool, was later adapted into the first writing instrument. Cavemen scratched pictures with the sharpened-stone tool onto the walls of  cave dwellings. These drawings represented events in daily life such as the planting of crops or hunting victories. With time, the record-keepers developed systematized symbols from their drawings. These symbols represented words and sentences, but were easier and faster to draw. Over time, these symbols became shared and universalized among small, groups and later, across different groups and tribes as well. It was the discovery of clay that made portable records possible. Early merchants used clay tokens with pictographs to record the quantities of materials traded or shipped. These tokens date back to about 8500 B.C. With the high volume of and the repetition inherent in record keeping, pictographs evolved and slowly lost their detail. They became abstract-figures representing sounds in spoken communication. Around 400 B.C., the Greek alphabet was developed and began to replace pictographs as the most commonly-used form of visual communication. Greek was the first script written from left to right. From Greek followed the Byzantine and then the Roman writings. In the beginning, all writing systems had only uppercase letters, but when the writing instruments were refined enough for detailed faces, lowercase was used as well (around 600 A.D.) The Greeks employed a writing stylus made of metal, bone or ivory to place marks upon wax-coated tablets. The tablets were made in hinged pairs and closed to protect the scribes notes. The first examples of handwriting also originated in Greece and it was the Grecian scholar Cadmus who invented the written alphabet. Across the globe, writing was developing beyond chiseling pictures into stone or wedging pictographs into wet clay. The Chinese invented and perfected Indian Ink. Originally designed for blacking the surfaces of raised stone-carved hieroglyphics, the ink was a mixture of soot from pine smoke and lamp oil mixed with the gelatin of donkey skin and musk. By 1200 B.C., the ink invented by the Chinese philosopher, Tien-Lcheu (2697 B.C.), became common. Other cultures developed inks using the natural dyes and colors derived from berries, plants and minerals. In early writings, different colored inks had ritual meaning attached to each color. The invention of ink  paralleled that of of paper. The early Egyptians, Romans, Greeks and Hebrews used papyrus and parchment papers began using parchment paper around 2000 B.C., when the earliest piece of writing on Papyrus known to us today, the Egyptian Prisse Papyrus was created.   The Romans created a reed-pen perfect for parchment and ink from the hollow tubular-stems of marsh grasses, especially from the jointed bamboo plant. They converted bamboo stems into a primitive form of fountain pen and cut one end into the form of a pen nib or point. A writing fluid or ink filled the stem and squeezing the reed forced fluid to the nib. By the year 400, a stable form of ink developed, a composite of iron-salts, nutgalls and gum. This became the basic formula for centuries. Its color when first applied to paper was a bluish-black, rapidly turning into a darker black before fading to the familiar dull brown color commonly seen in old documents. Wood-fiber paper was invented in China in the year 105 but was not widely used throughout Europe until paper mills were built in the late 14th century. The writing instrument that dominated for the longest period in history (over one-thousand years) was the quill pen. Introduced around the year 700, the quill is a pen made from a bird feather. The strongest quills were those taken from living birds in the spring from the five outer left wing feathers. The left wing was favored because the feathers curved outward and away when used by a right-handed writer. Quill pens lasted for only a week before it was necessary to replace them. There were other disadvantages associated with their use, including a lengthy preparation time. Early European writing parchments made from animal skins required careful scraping and cleaning. To sharpen the quill, the writer needed a special knife.  Ã‚  Beneath the writers high-top desk was a coal stove, used to dry the ink as quickly as possible. Plant-fiber paper became the primary medium for writing after another dramatic invention took place. In 1436,  Johannes Gutenberg  invented the printing press with replaceable wooden or metal letters. Later, newer printing technologies were developed based on Gutenbergs printing machine, such as offset printing. The ability to mass-produce writing in this way revolutionized the way  humans communicate. As much as any other invention since the sharpened-stone, Gutenbergs printing press set forth a new era of human history.

Happy Birthday in Latin and Roman Birthday Observances

Happy Birthday in Latin and Roman Birthday Observances Although we know Romans celebrated birthdays, we dont know if they wished one another the exact phrase Happy Birthday! But that doesnt mean we cant  use the Latin language  to wish someone a  happy birthday. The following seems to be the best way to express happy birthday in Latin. Felix sit natalis dies! Using the accusative case, specifically the accusative of exclamation,  felix  sit natalis  dies  is one way to say happy birthday. Similarly, you could also say  felicem diem natalem. Habeas felicitatem  in die natus es! Habeas felicitatem in die natus es  is another possibility. The phrase roughly translates to on happiness to love you.   Natalis laetus! A third way to wish happy birthday is  Natalis laetus mihi!  if you want to say happy birthday to me. Or,  Natalis laetus tibi!  if  you want to say happy birthday to you. Celebrating in Ancient Rome The ancient Romans observed different types of birthday celebrations or dies natales in Latin. Privately, Roman men and women marked their own birthdays and the births of family members and friends with gift-giving and banquets. Fathers gave presents to their children, brothers gave presents to sisters,  and slaves gave presents to their masters children. One custom was to celebrate not on the specific date an individual was born but rather on the first of the month (calends) in which the individual was born, or the first of the next month. Gifts given on birthdays include jewelry; the poet Juvenal mentions parasols and amber as gifts, and Martial suggests togas and military clothing would be appropriate. Birthday feasts might have entertainment  furnished by dancers and singers. Wine, flowers, incense, and cakes were part of such celebrations. The most important feature of Roman personal birthday celebrations was a sacrifice to the genius of the housefather and the juno of the housemother. The genius and juno were clan symbols, representing a persons patron saint or guardian angel, who guided the individual throughout life. Genii was a sort of middle power or intermediary between men and gods, and it was important that votive offerings be given to the genius each year in hopes that the protection would continue. Public Celebrations People also held similar celebrations for the birthdays of close friends and patrons. There is a wide variety of elegies, poems, and inscriptions commemorating such events. For example, in 238 CE, the grammarian Censorinus wrote De Die Natali as a birthday gift for his patron, Quintus Caerellius. In it he stated,   But while other men honor only their own birthdays, yet I am bound every year by a double duty as regards this religious observance; for since it is from you and your friendship that I receive esteem, position, honor, and assistance, and in fact all the rewards of life, I consider it a sin if I celebrate your day, which brought you forth into this world for me, any less carefully than my own. For my own birthday gave me life, but yours has brought me the enjoyment and the rewards of life. Emperors, Cults, Temples, and Cities The word natali also refers to anniversary celebrations of the founding of temples, cities, and cults. Beginning with the Principate, Romans also celebrated the birthdays of past and present emperors, and members of the imperial family, as well as their ascension days, marked as natales imperii. People would also combine celebrations: a banquet could mark the dedication of an associations banqueting hall, commemorating an important occasion in the life of the association.  The Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum includes an inscription from a woman who donated 200 sesterces so that a local association would hold a banquet on her sons birthday. Sources Argetsinger, Kathryn. Birthday Rituals: Friends and Patrons in Roman Poetry and Cult. Classical Antiquity 11.2 (1992): 175–93. Print. Ascough, Richard S. Forms of Commensality in Greco-Roman Associations. The Classical World 102.1 (2008): 33–45. Print. Bowerman, Helen C. The Birthday as a Commonplace of Roman Elegy. The Classical Journal 12.5 (1917): 310–18. Print. Lucas, Hans. Martials Kalendae Nataliciae. The Classical Quarterly 32.1 (1938): 5–6. Print.

Relative or friend Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Relative or friend - Essay Example I have one brother and two sisters in my family. Both of my parents belong to working class. My father is a lawyer and my mother is a doctor. I am the eldest among my siblings. In my very early years of life, when I was the only child of my parents, I was given a lot of attention. My parents focused their complete attention on me which made me feel special. I remember my cousin would tell me whenever we met that his brother fought with him over petty matters, and did not share his toys with him. That made me feel sorry for him, yet I was happy that I had no one to share my toys with. I agree that I sound quite selfish but that was a matter of the past when I was only four years of age. I think quite differently about my siblings now, as I am grown up! When I was four years old, one fine morning my mom and dad brought a baby with them and told me that he was my brother. I was surprised at this shocking yet exciting discovery. It was a moment of both pleasure and displeasure for me. I had mixed feelings towards my younger brother, Jonny. I envied him as my mother took him into her lap and my father sang him nursery rhymes. I watched him grow up. As more time passed, I realized Jonny had made a big impact upon my personal relationship with mom and dad. With Jonny to take care of, mom and dad would not give me half as much time as they used to give me when I was their only child. I should not say they intentionally did it. May be it is just as difficult for all parents to balance their attention between all of their children. May be parents just do as they feel is required. Perhaps mom and dad thought I was sufficiently grown up to take care of things and understand matters while Jonny required more attention. Anyway, I was disturbed by this change. It felt quite unpleasant. I was in the kindergarten and had started to go to school while Jonny would stay at home. Mom and dad did explain to me that he was younger, so he had to be at home and that I was old enough to go to school, but their explanation hardly ever convinced me. However, soon after I started to go to school, I found studies quite interesting. May be that was a means of escape from the tensions arising from my lost status at home or perhaps, studies were really quite interesting, but I loved my education anyway. Time passed away and I approached grade 4. It was also Jonny’s second year in school. He was not quite good in studies and mom and dad had had a tough time making him study. I remember in grade 4, I read a chapter in my course book that explained to me my responsibilities towards Jonny as an elder brother. It was a very thought provoking and eye opening chapter for me and I learnt some great lessons from that. Having read the chapter, I realized that I was not fulfilling even half of my duties as an elder brother. I had never helped Jonny in his studies. Somehow, in my subconscious, I knew that if I took slight interest in teaching Jonny, he would come on the right track. That day, I decided I would change my attitude towards Jonny. I decided to fulfill my duties as an elder brother. I can not exactly tell whether it was a way to get back mom and dad’s attention that I was so longing for, but I became a loving and responsible elder brother. I helped Jonny learn nursery rhymes. I taught him how to write alphabets, how to pronounce them, how to link alphabets so

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 10

Report - Essay Example Another reason why the people chose this kind of set-up is because of fast delivery of the item that they will be buying – they can immediately possess or take-home their purchased item(s). On the other hand, purchasing good quality products is also one of the concerns of the target market, and that is the area where Cash Computer Supplies is at par with its competitors. Cash Computer Supplies’ first year operations profited a low income because their market or buyers are very limited. The company only markets to the students of Memorial University and due to the University’s high turnover of students, it is hard to maintain regular customers on the student market segment. Closing down the business because of the above reason is not the solution to take because the company has a real potential in pioneering and leading the mail-order computer supply industry in Newfoundland. And also, opening up a retail store as a means to combat their competitors head-to-head is not a good option as well as this will only add them up overhead costs and carrying costs on their inventory. Cash Computer Supplies has the potential to compete in the computer supply industry in Newfoundland, it only needs a little re-organizing within the company management to be able to sustain and increase their market share. The several recommendations which are considerable are as follows: Continue on with the business, closing it down because of the unfavorable result from the phone survey is not a viable option. The company has great potentials which can still be enhanced if careful studies on the internal and external SWOT will be conducted. First, the company must create and establish its own mission/vision as this will help and guide them follow a certain direction and achieve a successful long-term goal for Cash Computer Supply (see Exhibit 1). By having a mission/vision, just like all other successful companies including their