The Lowest Tiers Of Government - 995 Words

The lowest tiers of government in Greece are municipalities and communes forming the first tier and the second being the prefectural administration. Since the 2011 Kallikratis Reform, there are 325 official municipalities. The principal means of addressing the economic crisis has been governmental austerity measures, which in turn have substantially influenced the public administration functioning and have led to reforms, including in local government operations . The first tiers of Greek local government are self-governing units. The Head of each municipality is chosen through a secret ballot and provides services to their people with no outside help. This means each municipality is similar to the larger cities of the United States. The individual municipalities are run by whom they elect and how they want without regulation from higher government. I believe that the crisis in Greek has a direct relation to the way their legal system is run. Yes, the Greek government has not gotten a break when it comes to the value of their currency or the influx of refugees, but change can take place. The United States is not perfect, but we find ways to lower unemployment rates increase GDP per capita and create an improving justice system. In 2014, the unemployment rate in the United States was 6.2% oppose to 26.6% in Greece . This leads to a plethora of problems beginning with the overall health of the economy. Greece’s unemployment rate may have something to do with theirShow MoreRelatedUnion Parishad : The Lowest Tier Of The Local Government1954 Words   |  8 PagesUnion Parishad (UP) The Union Parishad is the lowest tier of the local government unit. It is the entry level of the people’s political participation. The Union Parishad constituted under the Local Government (Union Parishads) Ordinance, 1983. It should be consisting twelve members, including three women members from reserving seats and on chairman. According to the Local Government Ordinance, 1983- the members and the chairman should be elected through direct election, based on adult franchise (TalukderRead MoreIran Is The Islamic Republic Of Iran1548 Words   |  7 Pagesthe United States Embassy in Tehran and held 52 people until 1981 (Bouillon Stobwasser). The climate is mostly arid or semiarid and subtropical along the Caspian coast. The terrain is rugged, mountainous with deserts in the central basin. The lowest elevation is 89 feet below sea level near the Caspian Sea to the highest elevation of 18,386 feet at Mt. Damavand (Bouillon Stobwasser). Ethnic groups consist of Persian, Aze ri, Gilaki, Mazandarani, Kurd, Arab, Lur, Baloch, and Turkmen with PersianRead MoreLocal Government And Public Government1608 Words   |  7 Pages LOCAL GOVERNMENT Local government is a form of public administration which, in a majority of contexts, exists as the lowest tier of administration within a given state. The term is used to contrast with offices at state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or (where appropriate) federal government and also to supranational government which deals with governing institutions between states. Local governments generally act within powers delegated to them byRead MoreProblems And Opportunities Of A Free Market Economy Essay1077 Words   |  5 Pagesdismisses various government positions, including the prime minister, who is considered the head of the government (Livermore). The prime minister is responsible to both the president and the Council of Ministers. The current president and prime minister are Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Antà ³nio Costa respectively (Livermore). The chief policy-making body of Portugal is the Council of Ministers, which is headed by the prime minister. It also consists of ministers of the other government departments andRead MoreThe Normal Operation Of A Botnet1339 Words   |  6 Pagesfailure scenario (see Figure 2, Multi-tier Architecture). In the architecture a domain name server (DNS) is used to address the CC server and registers the internet protocol (IP) address of the various servers for the rendering domain name. The IP addresses are then transmitted alternatively to distribute all server requests. Without additional operational devices or gateways, a DNS server could provide a single point of failure in this topology. In a multi-tier topology, individual bots may notRead MoreWhat Are the Differences with Regard to Cultural Values Across Social Classes and Their Implications on Different Product Categories?1223 Words   |  5 Pagesworkers (expected this group would reduce from 41 percent to around 35 percent due their moving to the middle class o â€Å"seekers† consisting of young college graduates, government employees at intermediate levels and owners of small- to medium-sized businesses o â€Å"strivers†, the upper end of the middle class, consisting of senior government employees, owners or managers of large businesses, professionals and wealthy farmers (in 2010, the middle class numbered approximately 50 million individuals and wasRead MoreHistorical City Of Sparta And Sparta951 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant city-states that played a significant role in how ancient Greece developed. Two of the most famous city-states, also known as the â€Å"superpowers† are Athens and Sparta. 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The thought being, If the government could mandate these healthy uninsured Americans to pa y into an insurance plan, the overall cost of health care would go down because this loss of revenue forces health care providers to raise their rates; money coming into the health care system

Essay about Deception and Disguise in Homer’s Odyssey

Homer’s Odyssey challenges the common view on deception as employed only maliciously. Both a mortal, Odysseus, and one of the most revered goddesses, Athena, have the common noble goal of bringing Odysseus back home to his family after nearly two decades of absence. To achieve that goal, they mainly use deception and disguise in various forms that their physical and mental powers allow. Odysseus is famous for wittily deceiving others through verbal means, fact noted by Menelaus and Helen of Troy (Book 4). He even doubts Athena, as his own skills have made him doubt other’s honesty. Athena states after realizing Odysseus’s disbelief, â€Å"Would not another wandering man, in joy, make haste home to his wife and children? Not you, not yet† (8.†¦show more content†¦Thus, even physical disguise has at its heart critical thinking and mental deception, as Athena knows that the Mentor is a trustworthy person that Telemkahos will be receptive to. At the end of the Odyssey, Athena resumes the Mentor disguise again to persuade Odysseus to refrain from entering a big conflict: â€Å"though still she kept the form and voice of Mentor† (24. 614). Therefore, she uses Mentor’s appearance in both crucial instances, initiation and resolution, to accomplish her noble goal of bringing Odysseus home and ensuring a good aftermath. Further, Athena does not only use these disguising and deception skills to appear as someone else; she also uses these skills to disguise Odysseus as a beggar to help figure out who he can trust and avoid being killed by the suitors (16. 558-560). After all, it would have been fruitless to overcome so many trials, some of his own making, to fail the last milestone of revenging on the suitors intelligently. Through the beggar disguise, he is able to discern who are his loyal and disloyal servants, Penelope’s loyalty and enduring love, and plan his revenge against the suitors methodically. Nevertheless, as seen above, Athena does have to make one ultimate effort at the end to stop Odysseus from entering an unnecessary and perilous conflict. As intelligent and deceptive as Odysseus is, he is after all a man with his own temper and flaws. Regarding gathering intelligence on theShow MoreRelatedHomer s Odyssey : Power Of Cunning Over Strength910 Words   |  4 Pagessurroundings i n order to craft an overall message or theme as a takeaway for their audience. Homer’s epic The Odyssey demonstrates this well. While Homer’s epic depicts Odysseus as a strong and powerful king who has won many wars, it is not his strength that propels him to be able to return to his home. If one were to read between the lines, they would realize that one of Homer’s major themes in The Odyssey compares the power of cunning over strength. The theme unfolds throughout the narrative whenRead More Use of Disguise in Homer’s Odyssey Essay2154 Words   |  9 PagesUse of Disguise in Homer’s Odyssey   Ã‚  Ã‚   The difference between a wise and a foolish decision is often found in discerning when to conceal and when to reveal. This discretion in concealing and revealing is a major theme within The Odyssey. There is a proper time to deceive and a proper time to tell the truth; thus, it is crucial that one act accordingly. This importance is exemplified in Odysseus life. When he is discreet in his timing, he achieves his goal. One example of this is the TrojanRead MoreEssay on The Importance of Identity in Homers Odyssey1433 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Identity in Homers Odyssey Within the epic poem The Odyssey, Homer presents the story of Odysseuss quest to find his home and his identity. According to Homers account, with its origin in oral tradition, the two quests are interchangeable, as a mortal defines himself with his home, his geographic origin, his ancestors, his offspring, etc. But in addition to this Homer illustrates the other aspect of human identity, shaped by the individual and his actions so that he mayRead MoreEssay on The Odyssey Disguise To Find True Identity1225 Words   |  5 PagesThe Odyssey Disguise To Find True Identity Disguise To Find True Identity The Odyssey is an epic that shapes and defines the roles of many great leaders. These leaders are made up of mortals, alive and dead, and immortals. The trip taken by Odysseus is not only a journey of a war hero back to his homeland, but is a journey in all of the characters lives, which develop a better sense of personal identity and selfhood as the epic goes on. It is the many disguises that each character usesRead More Reflective essays1316 Words   |  6 Pagesmaking people laugh for centuries. 8.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The â€Å"Odyssey† is considered to be the â€Å"first comedy† if classical literature. This is believed because it involves a homecoming and has a happy ending, which was the original understanding of ancient Greek comedy. The â€Å"Odyssey† encompasses several other aspects of comedy such as a comic hero as well as the use of mistaken identity and deliberate deception. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Greek comedy is based in religious ritualRead MoreThe Aeneid and The Odyssey1324 Words   |  6 PagesAre there similarities between Homers The Odyssey and Virgils The Aeneid? There are many similarities that could be examined indepth. The lovers encountered in both plays can lead to the idea of ancient plagarism. The games held by the greeks and trojans are similar to the Olympic Games. The downfall of characters, cities or monsters can be seen often in many stories. Maybe rewriting history is the effort of a plagarist to cheat true historical events. The lovers Aeneas and Odysseus encounterRead MoreThe Odyssesy Essay1324 Words   |  6 Pagesgodly intervention is sometimes necessary. In Poseidons rage over Odysseus blinding Polyphemus, he has continued a prolonged punishment from the hubris received. The gods and goddesses sometimes need to intervene on Poseidons wrath through deception. Athena, Odysseus and Telemachus guardian goddess, intervened at the island Phaeacia after Poseidon left. When he left, Athena don a invisibility cloth over Odysseus that changed his physical appearances. Odysseus run into the princess and hand-maidensRead More Divine Intervention: Athenas Role in The Odyssey Essay1593 Words   |  7 PagesDivine intervention is often an integral part of ancient epic poetry as seen in Homers The Odyssey. The role of the goddess Athena was an essential part of Odysseuss journey back to Ithaka. Athena also played a vital part in Telemakhoss life before the return of his father. Even Penelope is impacted by the help of the grey-eyed goddess, often inspiring Penelope to hold off the suitors as well as putting her to sleep when a situation be came too difficult. Athena demonstrates that she isRead MoreThe Value of Cunning over Strength Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pagescunning and strength of character to not be pushed around like a sex slave and become an object more than a human being. They displayed as much cunning as Odysseus throughout The Odyssey. They have to rely on the power of cunning over strength because they are weaker than the men as it has been for centuries. Homers majority of minor characters it seems like are women. He is using all these minor characters to reinforce the theme of the book and my thesis statement. Throughout the book womenRead MoreStorytelling in Homers Odyssey1542 Words   |  7 Pagesover time, and, at some point, the youth is ready to delve into the feast that is Homer’s unabridged poetry. As the reader devours book after book of The Odyssey, he or she finds comforting familiarity in the stories, the characters, and the monsters, but something is not quite right. While h earing of Odysseus’ adventures as a child, the action was spoken from the steady voice of a omnipresent narrator, but in Homer’s work, the poet often speaks through Odysseus as a storyteller recounting his glorious

Business Communication Operations of Business Global

Question: Describe about the Business Communication for Operations of Business Global. Answer: Introduction Apple Company is a reputable brand and conducts its operations globally. The company founder and chief executive officer are Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. However, the company is currently under the management of Tim Cook, who assumed the position of the company chief executive officer in 201l. The company management understands the importance of communication in enhancing their competitiveness and productivity. For instance, the company assumes various strategies in enhancing intercultural communication among its staff. Some of these strategies include implementing a diversity training program, encouraging employees to embrace their differences, and avoiding the use of demeaning words or stereotyping. For this reason, the paper primarily focuses on analyzing the company organization structure and communication hierarchy including intercultural communication and the organization emotional climate. The Communication Hierarchy of Apple Inc. Company Marengo and Pasquali (2012: 1299) assert that every organization has fundamental communication channels that they use to implement their policies, strategies, and goals. The three basic communication channels include the informal channel, formal channel, and unofficial channel. The formal channel involves the communication within the official organizational hierarchy that transmits directions, procedures, policies, and goals (Bernstein et al., 2016: 43). The informal channel, on the other hand, encompasses the communication that is passed outside the prescribed organizational structure with the aim of filling organizational gaps, handling one-time situations, and maintaining various departments linkages. Moreover, the unofficial channel deals with interpersonal communication among, or within an organizations social structure. The management of Apple Company uses both the formal and informal channels of communication to manage its employees and customers as well as implement its polic ies. On the other hand, communication flows in various organizations use five major directions including external, diagonal, lateral, upward, and downward directions (Hartley Chatterton, 2015: 56). The fixed organization structure of Apple Company allows it to use the downward stream of communication technique. In essence, the communication flows from the CEO to the SVP, then to the VP, and eventually it reaches the departmental heads and other junior employees. CEOs such as Steve Jobs and Tim Cook employed downward flow method of communication to convey work-related information including employees performance feedback, job instructions, as well as the organizations vision and mission. According to Lehman and Haslam (2013: 247), the most valuable asset in every business life is the capacity to express employees and management thoughts with precision and clarity. Equally, in the creation of any organizational hierarchy, communication channels are a significant consideration. The companys manager in various hierarchical systems becomes the link in the firms communication channel. For example, Apple Company CEO, Tim Cook, is the major link to all the communication channels in the organization. Additionally, Apples hierarchical system imposes restrictions and offers direction to the communications flow in the company. It is evident that Apple Companys management directions and decisions flow consistently from top to bottom levels in the firm. Consequently, Tim Cook uses effective communication as his tool for organizing, guiding, and motivating employees. Organizational Structure of Apple Inc. Company The organizational structure of Apple Company is among the factors that contribute to the successful innovation of the company. According to Heracleous (2013: 95), a companys organizational structure always creates opportunities for business development. However, the organization structure can equally impose limits regarding the manner in which a firm develops. In the case of Apple Company, for example, the organizational structure is largely a traditional chain of command, with some major elements from various kinds of organizational structures. In essence, Apple Companys success is associated with the leadership and innovation of Jobs Steve, but its organizational structure is partially responsible for sustaining such leadership (Hartley Chatterton, 2015: 92). Currently, under the leadership of Tim Cook, Apple Company has made various changes in the organizational structure in order to suit industry and market demands. Hartley and Chatterton (2015: 103) argue that the organization al structure of Apple Company is efficient in supporting as well as sustaining business performance to guarantee leadership effectiveness in the industry. Nevertheless, further changes need to be made in the organizational structure to enhance Apple Companys capabilities, particularly in the section of creative and rapid design and innovation. Figure 1: Example of Apple Inc. Company Organizational Structure. Characteristics of Apple Inc. Companys Organizational Structure The organizational structure of Apple Company enables it to maintain its rapid innovation growth. The development of novel products such as Apple watch is associated with the support from the companys organizational structure. The organizational structure of Apple Company has significant features including: Spoke-and-Wheel Hierarchy An overview look at Apple Companys organizational structure depicts that the firm has a considerable hierarchy. Previously, everything in the company went to or through the office of Steve Jobs. Similarly, Jobs made every major decision in the company. However, under the leadership of Tim Cook, such hierarchy in the companys organizational structure has considerably changed. Currently, there is additional collaboration among various parts or departments of the firm, for example, the teamwork between hardware teams and software teams (Damanpour Aravind, 2012: 502). Furthermore, the Senior Vice Presidents (SVP) of Apple Company have more independence, which was nearly absent under the leadership of Steve Jobs. Hence, the firms organizational structure is currently less rigid, but it still possesses some elements of the spoke-and-wheel hierarchy where at the center Tim Cook still seats. Function-Based Grouping The upper level of Apple Companys organizational structure uses the function-based grouping feature (Vuori Huy, 2016: 9). This means that every Senior Vice President (SVP) who reports to the CEO or Tim Cook handles a special business function. For instance, Apple Company has an SVP for retail, an SVP for marketing, and an SVP for industrial design among others. In this respect of organizational structure, Apples apex management always addresses business needs regarding the function areas. Product-Based Grouping The lower level of Apple Companys organizational structure utilizes product-based grouping feature, which is a component derived from various divisional forms of organizational structure. Actually, below the companys SVPs, there are numerous vice presidents for different products, services, and outputs. For instance, Apple Company has a VP for iPad, a VP for iOS, and a VP who deals with consumer apps. Similarly, all products and their components within Apples portfolio including Apple TV, iWatch, and iPhone are a result of the cooperation of product-based groups (Csaszar, 2013: 1086). Hence, this style of organizational structure assists Apple to create, maintain, and address unique products as well as their components. The Emotional Climate of Apple Company Employee creativity is considered a major challenge for human resources management in the twenty-first century. Companies whose employees can think out of the box enjoy a competitive advantage in their respective industries. Besides, they can address complex challenges they encounter in the rapidly transforming world. However, employee creativity greatly depends on the organizations emotional climate. According to Antal et al. (2013: 57), organizational climate is the feelings and perception of employees about their work setting. Apple managers understand the importance of emotional climate and have channeled their efforts towards making their staffs confident and connected to the culture of the organization. Some of the strategies utilized by Apple leadership to maintain a positive emotional climate in the organization include establishing specific and clear performance goals which are clearly communicated to employees. The company leaders also ensure that the staffs are committed t o the mission of the organization by giving them challenging tasks which connect them to their respective duties intellectually and emotionally (Schneider Barbera, 2014: 342; Pranit, 2010: 56). Besides, Apple leaders usually encourage their staff to focus on projects and tasks considered crucial in realizing the objectives of the organization. The use of this strategy instills a sense of trustworthiness among employees causing them to utilize organization resources effectively to realize the expected outcomes. Teamwork is also encouraged by Apple leaders. For instance, the organization often arrange teamwork meetings with the primary objective of increasing mutual respect and trust among team members (O'grady, 2009: 35). Equally, these meetings promote a sense of belonging among organization staff. Scholars contend that a positive climate enhances productivity, performance, and employee engagement while at the same time improving business outcome and this is what Apple Inc leaders are trying to achieve and remain competitive in their industry. In light of these, both Steve Jobs and Tim Cook applied a different and unique style of management to enhance employee satisfaction and organization productivity. As the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Steve Jobs was perceived as an abrasive and passionate leader who required his staff to be excellent and perfect. Cook, the current CEO, in contrast, aims to realize excellence by stressing on teamwork and transparency. Cook makes use of the open-door policy to inspire his staff and encourage them to work in collaboration towards realizing the company objectives (Lu?Sted, 2012: 146). Intercultural Communication in Apple Inc. Company The world economy is increasingly becoming interconnected subjecting workers to various opportunities and cultural differences. Apple leaders need to improve their cross-cultural or intercultural communication skills because they conduct their business in different countries characterized by different cultures. Besides, the company employees come from distinct ethnic groups and nationality, hence the need for intercultural communication skills. Failure to understand other cultures use of verbal and nonverbal cues might result in embarrassing mistakes when carrying out business on a global scale (Fall et al., 2013: 413). Errors in cross-cultural communication offend and confuse business partners and hinder effective communication process. However, the utilization of effective cross-cultural communication techniques including active listening helps in reducing misunderstanding. As a diverse company employing people from different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, Apple has put in place different measures to enhance effective intercultural communication. Some of these measures include acknowledging individual differences, focusing on behavior, and developing intercultural sensitivity (Baldwin, 2014: 137). The organization discourages behaviors that make employees feel unwanted or excluded. The company also prohibits demeaning remarks or jokes including stereotyping. Equally, some rules encourage appropriate behavior and outline disciplinary action to be applied in case an employee violates the outlined rules. Employees are also encouraged to accept individual differences. In addition to encouraging employees to accept individual differences, the management also focuses on building a productive environment where employees are encouraged to work in a team and focus on realizing the strategic goals of the organization rather than their differences. Apple le aders also encourage the workers not to view cultural differences as a threat rather view it as a means of enhancing the company competitiveness in the industry (Jamarani Sharifian, 2013: 68). The company also engages employees in the activities of the organization. Employees are also encouraged to carefully choose their words, to negotiate effectively and not make assumptions. To analyze the strengths and weakness of employees regarding their intercultural communication skills, the organization makes use of online surveys. Recommendations Apple Company employs individuals from distinct cultural backgrounds. For this reason, it is important for its management to have a thorough understanding of intercultural communication so that they can realize the significance of employing a diversified workforce including improved productivity, creativity, and morale. Therefore, the organization should focus on providing its workforce with diversity training programs so that they can have an idea on how cultures significantly differ in terms of using verbal and nonverbal cues. Through this training program, employees will understand the importance of embracing diversity and being tolerant to individuals from distinct cultural backgrounds. Conclusion Conclusively, Apple Companys communication hierarchy, organizational structure, leadership, and culture shape both employees and customers attitude towards the company. Equally, Apples communication hierarchy and organizational structure can determine how employees value and implement the firms business strategy and model. From this papers discussion, it is evident that through the constant interaction of Apples leadership, communication hierarchy, structure, and culture, the firm has the capacity of implementing its policies and controlling its employees. Equally, the success of Apple Company is attributed to its unique structure, exceptional history, and innovative ability. However, Apple Company needs to change its fixed communication and organizational structure in order to remain competitive and sustainable in the contemporary, post-industrial generation as well as recession inundated economy. Additionally, effective intercultural communication plays an essential role in enhanci ng organization competitiveness at the local and international level. As a diverse company, Apple understands the importance of enhancing communication effectiveness amongst its employees. The company has in place a policy that discourages employees from using demeaning words or stereotyping coworkers. To enhance a positive emotional climate, the company encourages teamwork and enhances a sense of belonging, trust, and mutual respect among its employees. List of References Antal, A. B., Child, J., Dierkes, M., Nonaka, I. (2003) Handbook Of Organizational Learning And Knowledge, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Baldwin, J.(2014) Intercultural Communication For Everyday Life, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester. Bernstein, E, Bunch, J, Canner, N, Lee, M 2016, 'Beyond the Holacracy HYPE, Harvard Business Review, 94, 7/8, pp. 38-49. Csaszar, F. A. (2013) An Efficient Frontier In Organization Design: Organizational Structure As A Determinant Of Exploration And Exploitation, Organization Science,24(4), 1083-1101. Damanpour, F., Aravind, D. (2012) Organizational Structure and Innovation Revisited: From Organic To Ambidextrous Structure, Handbook of Organizational Creativity, 502-503. Fall, L.T, Kelly, S, Macdonald, P, Primm, C, Holmes, W. (2013) 'Intercultural Communication Apprehension And Emotional Intelligence In Higher Education: Preparing Business Students For Career Success, Business Communication Quarterly, Vol. 76, No. 4, Pp. 412-426. Hartley, P, Chatterton, P (2015) Business Communication: Rethinking Your Professional Practice For The Post-Digital Age, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Heracleous, L. (2013) Quantum Strategy at Apple Inc,Organizational Dynamics,42(2), 92-99. Jamarani, M. Sharifian, F. (2013) Language and Intercultural Communication in The New Era, New York: Routledge. Lehman, G., Haslam, C. (2013) Accounting For the Apple Inc Business Model: Corporate Value Capture and Dysfunctional Economic and Social Consequences, InAccounting Forum(Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 245-248). Elsevier. Lu?Sted, M. A. (2012) Apple: The Company And Its Visionary Founder, Steve Jobs. Minneapolis, Mn, Abdo Pub. Marengo, L., Pasquali, C. (2012) How to get what you want when you do not know what you want: A model of incentives, organizational structure, and learning,Organization Science,23(5), 1298-1310. O'grady, J. D. (2009) Apple Inc. Westport, Conn, Greenwood Press. Pranit, K. (2010) Organizational Behaviour, New Delhi: Gennext. Schneider, B., Barbera, K. M. (2014) The Oxford Handbook Of Organizational Climate And Culture, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Vuori, T, Huy, Q (2016) 'Distributed Attention and Shared Emotions in the Innovation Process, Administrative Science Quarterly, 61, 1, p. 9.

The Life Of Mahatma Ghandi Essay Example For Students

The Life Of Mahatma Ghandi Essay Mahatma Gandhi IntroductionMohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism and the prophet of nonviolence in the 20th century, was born, the youngest child of his fathers fourth wife, on Oct. 2, 1869, at Porbandar, the capital of a small principality in Gujarat in western India under British suzerainty. His father, Karamchand Gandhi, who was the dewan (chief minister) of Porbandar, did not have much in the way of a formal education but was an able administrator who knew how to steer his way between the capricious princes, their long-suffering subjects, and the headstrong British political officers in power. Gandhis mother, Putlibai, was completely absorbed in religion, did not care much for finery and jewelry, divided her time between her home and the temple, fasted frequently, and wore herself out in days and nights of nursing whenever there was sickness in the family. Mohandas grew up in a home steeped in Vaishnavism (Vaisnavism)worship of the Hindu god Vish nu (Visnu)with a strong tinge of Jainism, a morally rigorous Indian religion, whose chief tenets are nonviolence and the belief that everything in the universe is eternal. Thus he took for granted ahimsa (noninjury to all living beings), vegetarianism, fasting for self-purification, and mutual tolerance between adherents of various creeds and sects. (see also Index: ahimsa, or ahimsa) Youth. We will write a custom essay on The Life Of Mahatma Ghandi specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The educational facilities at Porbandar were rudimentary; in the primary school that Mohandas attended, the children wrote the alphabet in the dust with their fingers. Luckily for him, his father became dewan of Rajkot, another princely state. Though he occasionally won prizes and scholarships at the local schools, his record was on the whole mediocre. One of the terminal reports rated him as good at English, fair in Arithmetic and weak in Geography; conduct very good, bad handwriting. A diffident child, he was married at the age of 13 and thus lost a year at school. He shone neither in the classroom nor on the playing field. He loved to go out on long solitary walks when he was not nursing his by now ailing father or helping his mother with her household chores. He had learned, in his words, to carry out the orders of the elders, not to scan them. With such extreme passivity, it is not surprising that he should have gone through a phase of adolescent rebellion, marked by secret athe ism, petty thefts, furtive smoking, andmost shocking of all for a boy born in a Vaishnava familymeat eating. His adolescence was probably no stormier than that of most children of his age and class. What was extraordinary was the way his youthful transgressions ended. Never again was his promise to himself after each escapade. And he kept his promise. Beneath an unprepossessing exterior, he concealed a burning passion for self-improvement that led him to take even the heroes of Hindu mythology, such as Prahlada and Harishcandralegendary embodiments of truthfulness and sacrificeas living models. In 1887 Mohandas scraped through the matriculation examination of the University of Bombay and joined Samaldas College in Bhavnagar (Bhaunagar). As he had suddenly to switch from his native languageGujaratito English, he found it rather difficult to follow the lectures. Meanwhile, his family was debating his future. Left to himself, he would have liked to be a doctor. But, besides the Vaishna va prejudice against vivisection, it was clear that, if he was to keep up the family tradition of holding high office in one of the states in Gujarat, he would have to qualify as a barrister. This meant a visit to England, and Mohandas, who was not too happy at Samaldas College, jumped at the proposal. His youthful imagination conceived England as a land of philosophers and poets, the very centre of civilization. But there were several hurdles to be crossed before the visit to England could be realized. His father had left little property; moreover, his mother was reluctant to expose her youngest child to unknown temptations and dangers in a distant land. But Mohandas was determined to visit England. One of his brothers raised the necessary money, and his mothers doubts were allayed when he took a vow that, while away from home, he would not touch wine, women, or meat. Mohandas disregarded the last obstaclethe decree of the leaders of the Modh Bania subcaste (Vaisya caste), to which the Gandhis belonged, who forbade his trip to England as a violation of the Hindu religionand sailed in September 1888. Ten days after his arrival, he joined the Inner Temple, one of the four London law colleges. (see also Index: Inns of Court) England. Gandhi took his studies seriously and tried to brush up on his English and Latin by taking the London University matriculation examination. But, during the three years he spent in England, his main preoccupation was with personal and moral issues rather than with academic ambitions. The transition from the half-rural atmosphere of Rajkot to the cosmopolitan life of London was not easy for him. As he struggled painfully to adapt himself to Western food, dress, and etiquette, he felt awkward. His vegetarianism became a continual source of embarrassment to him; his friends warned him that it would wreck his studies as well as his health. Fortunately for him he came across a vegetarian restaurant as well as a book providing a reasoned defense of vegetarianism, which henceforth became a matter of conviction for him, not merely a legacy of his Vaishnava background. The missionary zeal he developed for vegetarianism helped to draw the pitifully shy youth out of his shell and gave him a new poise. He became a member of the executive committee of the London Vegetarian Society, attending its conferences and contributing articles to its journal. In the vegetarian restaurants and boarding houses of England, Gandhi met not only food faddists but some earnest men and women to whom he owed his introduction to the Bible and the Bhagavadgita, the most popular expression of Hinduism in the form of a philosophical poem, which he read for the first time in its English translation by Sir Edwin Arnold. The English vegetarians were a motley crowd. They included socialists and humanitarians like Edward Carpenter, the British Thoreau; Fabians like George Bernard Shaw; and Theosophists like Annie Besant. Most of them were idealists; quite a few were rebels who rejected the prevailing values of the late Victorian Establishment, denounced the evils of the capitalist and industrial society, preached the cult of the simple life, and stressed the superiority of moral over material values and of cooperation over conflict. These ideas were to contribute substantially to the shaping of Gandhis personality and, eventually, to his politics. Painful surprises were in store for Gandhi when he returned to India in July 1891. His mother had died in his absence, and he discovered to his dismay that the barristers degree was not a guarantee of a lucrative career. The legal profession was already beginning to be overcrowded, and Gandhi was much too diffident to elbow his way into it. In the very first brief he argued in a Bombay court, he cut a sorry figure. Turned down even for the part-time job of a teacher in a Bombay high school, he returned to Rajkot to make a modest living by drafting petitions for litigants. Even this employment was closed to him when he incurred the displeasure of a local British officer. It was, therefore, with some relief that he accepted the none-too- attractive offer of a years contract from an Indian firm in Natal, South Africa. South Africa. .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c , .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .postImageUrl , .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c , .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c:hover , .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c:visited , .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c:active { border:0!important; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c:active , .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua93c714870ae5f0cb164e18a1ffede6c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Thanksgiving EssayAfrica was to present to Gandhi challenges and opportunities that he could hardly have conceived. In a Durban court, he was asked by the European magistrate to take off his turban; he refused and left the courtroom. A few days later, while travelling to Pretoria, he was unceremoniously thrown out of a first-class railway compartment and left shivering and brooding at Pietermaritzburg Station; in the further course of the journey he was beaten up by the white driver of a stagecoach because he would not travel on the footboard to make room for a European passenger; and finally he was barred from hotels reserved for Europeans only. These humiliations were th e daily lot of Indian traders and labourers in Natal who had learned to pocket them with the same resignation with which they pocketed their meagre earnings. What was new was not Gandhis experience but his reaction. He had so far not been conspicuous for self-assertion or aggressiveness. But something happened to him as he smarted under the insults heaped upon him. In retrospect the journey from Durban to Pretoria struck him as one of the most creative experiences of his life; it was his moment of truth. Henceforth he would not accept injustice as part of the natural or unnatural order in South Africa; he would defend his dignity as an Indian and as a man. (see also Index: racial segregation ) While in Pretoria, Gandhi studied the conditions in which his countrymen lived and tried to educate them on their rights and duties, but he had no intention of staying on in South Africa. Indeed, in June 1894, as his years contract drew to a close, he was back in Durban, ready to sail for Indi a. At a farewell party given in his honour he happened to glance through the Natal Mercury and learned that the Natal Legislative Assembly was considering a bill to deprive Indians of the right to vote. This is the first nail in our coffin, Gandhi told his hosts. They professed their inability to oppose the bill, and indeed their ignorance of the politics of the colony, and begged him to take up the fight on their behalf. Until the age of 18, Gandhi had hardly ever read a newspaper. Neither as a student in England nor as a budding barrister in India had he evinced much interest in politics. Indeed, he was overcome by a terrifying stage fright whenever he stood up to read a speech at a social gathering or to defend a client in court. Nevertheless, in July 1894, when he was barely 25, he blossomed almost overnight into a proficient political campaigner. He drafted petitions to the Natal legislature and the British government and had them signed by hundreds of his compatriots. He could not prevent the passage of the bill but succeeded in drawing the attention of the public and the press in Natal, India, and England to the Natal Indians grievances. He was persuaded to settle down in Durban to practice law and to organize the Indian community. In 1894, he founded the Natal Indian Congress of which he himself became the indefatigable secretary. Through this common political organization, he infused a spirit of solidarity in the heterogeneous Indian community. He flooded the government, the legislature, and the press with closely reasoned statements of Indian grievances. Finally, he exposed to the view of the outside world the skeleton in the imperial cupboard, the discrimination practiced against the Indian subjects of Queen Victoria in one of her own colonies in Africa. It was a measure of his success as a publicist that such important newspapers as The Times of London and the Statesman and Englishman of Calcutta editorially commented on the Natal Indians grievance s. In 1896 Gandhi went to India to fetch his wife Kasturbai and their children and to canvass support for the Indians overseas. He met prominent leaders and persuaded them to address public meetings in the countrys principal cities. Unfortunately for him, garbled versions of his activities and utterances reached Natal and inflamed its European population. On landing at Durban in January 1897, he was assaulted and nearly lynched by a white mob. Joseph Chamberlain, the colonial secretary in the British Cabinet, cabled the government of Natal to bring the guilty men to book, but Gandhi refused to prosecute his assailants. It was, he said, a principle with him not to seek redress of a personal wrong in a court of law. Resistance and results. Gandhi was not the man to nurse a grudge. On the outbreak of the South African (Boer) War in 1899, he argued that the Indians, who claimed the full rights of citizenship in the British crown colony of Natal, were in duty bound to defend it. He raised an ambulance corps of 1,100 volunteers, out of whom 300 were free Indians and the rest indentured labourers. It was a motley crowd: barristers and accountants, artisans and labourers. It was Gandhis task to instill in them a spirit of service to those whom they regarded as their oppressors. The editor of the Pretoria News has left a fascinating pen portrait of Gandhi in the battle zone: After a nights work which had shattered men with much bigger frames, I came across Gandhi in the early morning sitting by the roadside eating a regulation army biscuit. Every man in (General) Bullers force was dull and depressed, and damnation was heartily invoked on everything. But Gandhi was stoical in his bearing, cheerful and confident in his conversa tion and had a kindly eye. The British victory in the war brought little relief to the Indians in South Africa. The new regime in South Africa was to blossom into a partnership, but only between Boers and Britons. Gandhi saw that, with the exception of a few Christian missionaries and youthful idealists, he had been unable to make a perceptible impression upon the South African Europeans. In 1906 the Transvaal government published a particularly humiliating ordinance for the registration of its Indian population. The Indians held a mass protest meeting at Johannesburg in September 1906 and, under Gandhis leadership, took a pledge to defy the ordinance if it became law in the teeth of their opposition, and to suffer all the penalties resulting from their defiance. Thus was born satyagraha (devotion to truth), a new technique for redressing wrongs through inviting, rather than inflicting, suffering, for resisting the adversary without rancour and fighting him without violence. (see al so Index: civil disobedience) The struggle in South Africa lasted for more than seven years. It had its ups and downs, but under Gandhis leadership, the small Indian minority kept up its resistance against heavy odds. Hundreds of Indians chose to sacrifice their livelihood and liberty rather than submit to laws repugnant to their conscience and self-respect. In the final phase of the movement in 1913, hundreds of Indians, including women, went to jail, and thousands of Indian workers who had struck work in the mines bravely faced imprisonment, flogging, and even shooting. It was a terrible ordeal for the Indians, but it was also the worst possible advertisement for the South African government, which, under pressure from the governments of Britain and India, accepted a compromise negotiated by Gandhi on the one hand and the South African statesman General Jan Christian Smuts on the other. The saint has left our shores, Smuts wrote to a friend on Gandhis departure from South Africa f or India, in July 1914, I hope for ever. Twenty-five years later, he wrote that it had been his fate to be the antagonist of a man for whom even then I had the highest respect. Once, during his not infrequent stays in jail, Gandhi had prepared a pair of sandals for Smuts, who recalled that there was no hatred and personal ill-feeling between them, and when the fight was over there was the atmosphere in which a decent peace could be concluded. As later events were to show, Gandhis work did not provide an enduring solution for the Indian problem in South Africa. What he did to South Africa was indeed less important than what South Africa did to him. It had not treated him kindly, but, by drawing him into the vortex of its racial problem, it had provided him with the ideal setting in which his peculiar talents could unfold themselves. The religious quest. .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b , .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .postImageUrl , .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b , .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b:hover , .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b:visited , .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b:active { border:0!important; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b:active , .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0ea6cc8c36c13f03bbb421b51a5cf41b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: [pic] EssayGandhis religious quest dated back to his childhood, the influence of his mother and of his home at Porbandar and Rajkot, but it received a great impetus after his arrival in South Africa. His Quaker friends in Pretoria failed to convert him to Christianity, but they quickened his appetite for religious studies. He was fascinated by Tolstoys writings on Christianity, read the Quran in translation, and delved into Hindu scriptures and philosophy. The study of comparative religion, talks with scholars, and his own reading of theological works brought him to the conclusion that all religions were true and yet every one of them was imperfect because they were interp reted with poor intellects, sometimes with poor hearts, and more often misinterpreted. (see also Index: Quran) Rajchandra, a brilliant young philosopher who became Gandhis spiritual mentor, convinced him of the subtlety and profundity of Hinduism, the religion of his birth. And it was the Bhagavadgita, which Gandhi had first read in London, that became his spiritual dictionary and exercised probably the greatest single influence on his life. Two Sanskrit words in the Gita particularly fascinated him. One was aparigraha (nonpossession), which implied that man had to jettison the material goods that cramped the life of the spirit and to shake off the bonds of money and property. The other was samabhava (equability), which enjoined him to remain unruffled by pain or pleasure, victory or defeat, and to work without hope of success or fear of failure. These were not merely counsels of perfection. In the civil case that had brought him to South Africa in 1893, he had persuaded the antagon ists to settle their differences out of court. The true function of a lawyer seemed to him to unite parties riven asunder. He soon regarded his clients not as purchasers of his services but as friends; they consulted him not only on legal issues but on such matters as the best way of weaning a baby or balancing the family budget. When an associate protested that clients came even on Sundays, Gandhi replied: A man in distress cannot have Sunday rest. Gandhis legal earnings reached a peak figure of 5,000 a year, but he had little interest in moneymaking, and his savings were often sunk in his public activities. In Durban and later in Johannesburg, he kept an open table; his house was a virtual hostel for younger colleagues and political coworkers. This was something of an ordeal for his wife, without whose extraordinary patience, endurance, and self-effacement Gandhi could hardly have devoted himself to public causes. As he broke through the conventional bonds of family and property, their life tended to shade into a community life. Gandhi felt an irresistible attraction to a life of simplicity, manual labour, and austerity. In 1904, after reading John Ruskins Unto This Last, a critique of capitalism, he set up a farm at Phoenix near Durban where he and his friends could literally live by the sweat of their brow. Six years later another colony grew up under Gandhis fostering care near Johannesburg; it was named Tolstoy Farm after the Russian writer and moralist, whom Gandhi admired and corresponded with. Those two settlements were the precursors of the more famous ashrams (ashramas) in India, at Sabarmati near Ahmedabad (Ahmadabad) and at Sevagram near Wardha. South Africa had not only prompted Gandhi to evolve a novel technique for political action but also transformed him into a leader of men by freeing him from bonds that make cowards of most men. Persons in power, Gilbert Murray prophetically wrote about Gandhi in the Hibbert Journal in 1918, should be very careful how they deal with a man who cares nothing for sensual pleasure, nothing for riches, nothing for comfort or praise, or promotion, but is simply determined to do what he believes to be right. He is a dangerous and uncomfortable enemy, because his body which you can always conquer gives you so little purchase upon his soul. 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Studies Show Black Women Are Healthier at a Higher Weight Than White Women

Studies Show Black Women Are Healthier at a Higher Weight Than White Women Studies reveal that African American women can weigh significantly more than white women and still be healthy. By examining two standards of measurement - BMI (body mass index) and WC (waist circumference) - researchers found that while white women with a BMI of 30 or more and a WC of 36 inches or more were at greater risk for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, black women with those same numbers were considered medically healthy. African American womens risk factors did not increase until they reached a BMI of 33 or more and a WC of 38 inches or more. Typically, health experts consider adults with a BMI of 25-29.9 to be overweight and those with a BMI of 30 or greater to be obese. Peter Katzmarzyks Studies The study, published in the January 6, 2011 research journal Obesity and authored by Peter Katzmarzyk and others at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, only examined white and African American women. No similar racial difference between black men and white men were studied. Katmzarzyk theorizes that the weight gap between white and black women may have to do with how body fat is distributed differently throughout the body. What many call belly fat is primarily recognized as being a significantly greater health risk than fat in the hips and thighs. Dr. Samuel Dagogo-Jacks Findings Katzmarzyks findings echo a 2009 study by Dr. Samuel Dagogo-Jack  of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association, Dagogo-Jacks research revealed that whites had more body fat than blacks, which led him to theorize that muscle mass may be higher in African-Americans. Existing BMI and WC guidelines are derived from studies of predominantly white and European populations and do not take into account physiological differences due to ethnicity and race. Because of this, Dagogo-Jack believes that his findings argue for a review of the existing cutoffs for healthy BMI and waist circumference among African-Americans. Sources: Kohl, Simi. Use of BMI and waist circumference as surrogates of body fat differs by ethnicity. Obesity Vol. 15 No. 11 at Academia.edu. November 2007Norton, Amy. Healthy waist may be a bit bigger for black women. Reuters Health at Reuters.com. 25 January 2011. Richardson, Carolyn and Mary Hartley, RD. Study Shows Black Women Can Be Healthy At Higher Weights. caloriecount.about.com. 31 March 2011.Scott, Jennifer R. Abdominal Obesity. weightloss.about.com. 11 August 2008.The Endocrine Society. Widely Used Body Fat Measurements Overestimate Fatness In African-Americans, Study Finds. ScienceDaily.com. 22 June 2009.

Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons

Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons Idiots, Imbeciles, and Morons By Maeve Maddox In a recent state election Arkansas voters were asked to alter the following constitutional phrasing: No idiot or insane person shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector. Legislators objected that the language was archaic and disrespectful. (Not to mention the fact that the law has never prevented idiots from voting.) As the current Arkansas state constitution dates from 1874, I decided to find out what the drafters meant by the word idiot. Idiot derives from a Latin word that referred to an ignorant, uneducated person. The word came into English from an Old French word with the same meaning. By 1300 idiot had acquired the meaning of a person so mentally deficient as to be incapable of ordinary reasoning. For a time, idiot was used by doctors to refer to a specific degree of mental retardation: A person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below three years and generally being unable to learn connected speech or guard against common dangers. The term came to be regarded as offensive and is no longer used as a medical classification. Two other words once used alongside idiot as medical classifications are imbecile and moron. Imbecile derives from a Latin adjective having the sense of weak and entered English from an Old French word with the same meaning. For a time it was used to refer to physical weakness. For example an imbecile person might be someone unable to walk without crutches. The first recorded use of imbecile as a noun is 1802. Its medical definition was A person of moderate to severe mental retardation having a mental age of from three to seven years and generally being capable of some degree of communication and performance of simple tasks under supervision. Moron comes from a Greek word meaning stupid. Its meaning in the now disused system of medical classification was: a feebleminded person or mental defective with a potential mental age of between eight and twelve years who is capable of doing routine work under supervision In current English usage all three words are perceived as insults. Apparently idiot is the least offensive of the three since a publishing empire employs the word in its titles with great success. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Bare or Bear With Me?List of 50 Great Word Games for Kids and AdultsEmpathic or Empathetic?

Consumer Reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Consumer Reports - Essay Example But those whose treatment consisted of mostly talk therapy did almost as well if they had 13 or more visits with the therapist." (1) More scientific data is needed before health professionals can determine whether or not this is true. Both problems are much more complex than the article indicates. Either can be strictly psychological and, therefore, benefit more from talk therapy than drugs. They may also stem from a strictly physical problem and, therefore would appear to benefit more from drugs. Or the third scenario would be that they are both caused by a combination of the physical and psychological. If this is true, then a healthy response to treatment would respond better to both treatments: talk therapy and drugs. Some early analyses seemed to suggest that medications were better if the client were severely depressed. Giving away their pro-drug bias, the American Psychiatric Association jumped on the results and recommended drugs as the first line of treatment in people who are severely depressed. Now, all too quietly, the truth emerges.