The effects of Employee satisfaction on Productivity, Performance, Research Paper

The effects of Employee satisfaction on Productivity, Performance, Customer satisfaction and the organization financial performance - Research Paper Example Any changes caused to any one of the above parameters may have strong impacts upon other parameters. Even though an organization may have lot of resources, human resources or the employees seem to be the most vital one because of the necessity of employees in mobilizing all the other organizational resources. In other words, employee performance and productivity is linked with the mission, vision, objectives and goals of the organization. Only the satisfied employee may deliver his maximum productivity for the betterment of the organization. Dissatisfied employees may not perform well and their reluctance in delivering the goods, may affect the customers of the organization. Dissatisfied employees may not treat the customers well which may result in dissatisfaction of the customers and the subsequent drop out of customers. The loss of customers may cause heavy financial damages to the organization. In short, employee performance can make or break an organization. This paper analyses the importance of employee satisfaction and its impacts on Productivity, Performance, Customer satisfaction and the organization financial performance.... re are direct and quantifiable links between customer service variables (such as satisfaction and loyalty), employee variables (such as satisfaction, enthusiasm, loyalty, commitment, capability, and internal service quality), and financial results (Linking Employee Satisfaction with Productivity, Performance, and Customer Satisfaction, 2003, p.1) Employees are the only active element in an organization. All the other organizational resources are passive and need the support of human element to deliver the goods. In other words employees are the drivers who drive the organizational resources in a particular direction to meet the organizational goals. If the drivers or the employees are incapable of driving the vehicle properly, it is difficult for the organization in reaching the target or meeting the goals. Only the satisfied drivers will keep the vehicle in good condition by driving the vehicle safely and effectively. Dissatisfied drivers will never bother much about the conditions of the vehicle or the negative impacts of crazy driving habits. Proper driving will help the vehicle owner to reduce maintenance cost of the vehicle which will increase his profits. â€Å"The Watson Wyatt Worldwide Human Capital Index study suggests that effective human resources practices lead to positive financial outcomes more often than positive financial outcomes lead to good practices† (Linking Employee Satisfaction with Productivity, Performance, and Customer Satisfaction, 2003, p.2). Many people often raise the question - which one evolved first; hen or egg? The same question is asked in the organizational world also – whether good human management practices lead to better organizational performances or better organizational performances lead to good human management practices? The

New Management Team causes delay in HR and pressures current staff Essay

New Management Team causes delay in HR and pressures current staff - Essay Example This article is related to my issue because it highlights the variety of ways in which the insufficiency of human resources caused by downsizing affects an organization. Particularly, it emphasizes how such management strategies as downsizing or delayed recruitment disturb the employees psychologically, emotionally, and physically, and how the effects go beyond them to reach the customers also. In my case, the employees are the teachers and the customers are the students. Article 2: Summary (Cameron) conducted a research upon 30 organizations to study their downsizing strategies with a view to identifying successful downsizing strategies and the implications of downsizing upon the workers’ performance. Successful downsizing requires successful management of the system of human resource that includes such aspects as employee training, reward, and performance evaluation. HR assumes the responsibility to help make this system effective by avoiding the typical top-down approach th at considers workers as a liability for the organization. HR professionals assume the main role in successful downsizing. ... Poor decisions of the management with respect to recruitment can cost an organization a lot of direct and indirect cost. BHEL’s recruitment policies were found to be good and effective since the organization conducts recruitment through big selection boards. Delay in recruitment is one of the main areas of focus of my study. This reference is particularly useful when I am evaluating the best strategies of recruitment in my research while proposing that instead of delaying the recruitment and increasing the work burden for the teachers, the new management should design effective recruitment strategies to hire the best team of teachers to take the school to the next level. Article 4: Summary (Gabdolfi) conducted a research to identify the organizational, financial, and workforce related effects of downsizing. Downsizing affects the workers psychologically and emotionally and disrupts their relations with the family. Four lessons of downsizing are preparation, specific training, management of the survivor syndrome, and counting of the costs. This paper relates to my issue because along with identifying the ways in which the teachers come under increased load and pressure of work in the absence of more teachers that need to be recruited, Gabdolfi has also highlighted the implications for the new management and proposed four lessons of downsizing that help the management make informed decisions. Article 5: Summary (Dahar et al.) conducted a quantitative study to identify the effect of quality of teacher on the students’ achievement. They found that the quality of teachers did not significantly affect the level of achievement of the students in the schools with

Effect Of UV Rays On Pool Chlorine Biology Essay

Effect Of UV Rays On Pool Chlorine Biology Essay Pools have always been a source of leisure for Australians. They provide enjoyment and good times for many households generated in a family or local swimming pool. Despite this, pools have to be maintained by using chemicals or disinfectants, lest unwanted pathogens create health hazards. However, the over use of these chemicals can also result in health hazards such as; serious irritation and breathing problems. A balance or equilibrium, therefore, must be achieved to maintain suitable conditions. This is where chemistry comes into play. The main type of chemicals used in pools to prevent unwanted pathogens is pool chlorine. Sodium hypochlorite is a commonly used as pool chlorine. It was discovered by Louis Pasteur in the late 19th century that sodium hypochlorite had disinfectant properties. Sodium hypochlorite effectively kills bacteria, viruses and fungi. When pool chlorine is added to water, a reaction takes place where hypochlorus acid is formed. In the past, most consumer chlorine bleach was sold in a 5.25% solution. Today, some more concentrated solutions are being sold and touted as an improvement over the less concentrated bleaches. To check for the concentration of the pool chlorine, excess potassium iodide is to be added to it and then it is to be titrated with a solution of sodium thiosulfate. The concentration of the liquid chlorine is then to be calculated using stoichiometry. The net ionic equations of the chemical reactions are: Source: Chemistry In use Book 2 There are also many factors that affect the effectiveness of pool chlorine such as sun radiation. Ultra-violet (UV) light degrades hypochlorous acid to hydrochloric acid (HCl). Ultraviolet (UV) radiation not only destroys light sensitive chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), it also has the potential to significantly degrade the structural integrity of the storage tank or IBC containing the light sensitive material.   According to the NSW  Ministry of Health  (2010) roughly 1/3 of free chlorine exposed to UV lights in a outdoor swimming pool is destroyed every hour. UV light therefore lowers the concentration of the disinfection component of free chlorine. In this experiment, the concentration of sodium hypochlorite in pool chlorine, left under a UV lamps for different periods of times, was measured. Aim: To investigate the effects of Ultra Violet (UV) rays on sodium hypochlorite (a bleaching agent used commonly in pools). 2.0 Hypothesis: As pool chlorine is left for longer periods of time under UV rays, the concentration of the pool chlorine will decrease. This was hypothesised as the theory suggests that UV rays degrade the component in pool chlorine which allows it to disinfect bacteria. 3.0 Equipment/Material Material Diluted Sodium hypochlorite Sodium thiosulfate Potassium iodide Starch indicator Boiling water Equipment 2 x 100 mL Beaker 5 x 250 mL Beaker 15 x 100 mL Flask 2 x 1L Volumetric flask 1 x 500 mL Volumetric flask 1 x 100mL Measuring cylinder 2 x 20mL Measuring cylinder 3 x Funnel 5 x 20 mL Pipette 2 x 1mL Pipette 3 x Stirring rod Senior Balance Burette and stand UV Lamp Permanent marker Stopwatch 4.0 Safety To prevent any harm to the group during this experiment, safety precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the members. Refer to Appendix A for MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). Lots of glassware was used Refrain from holding too many pieces of glassware at once. Clean up glass immediately if any is broken. Handle boiling water with care Boiling water was used to create a solution of starch. Beaker tongs were used to carry the boiling water. Potassium iodide is irritating to eyes and skin Avoid contacting without gloves. Wash with water if contact occurs. Sodium thiosulfate is irritating to eyes and skin Avoid contacting without gloves. Wash with water if contact occurs. Starch gives skin discomfort Avoid contacting without gloves. 5.0 Procedure Refer to Appendix 1 for preparation of solutions Preparation of titration A burette and stand was filtered with the sodium thiosulfate solution. The burette was filled up with the sodium thiosulfate solution to around the 0mL mark. 100mL of diluted sodium hypochlorite was poured into 5 individual 250mL beakers. These beakers were labelled 0min, 15m, 30m, 1hr, 3hrs and 4hrs. All the beakers, except the 0min beaker, were placed under the UV lamp for the amounts of time labelled on them. At this point the stopwatch was started, once the samples had reach the specified time they were taken out. For each time sample, 20mL was measured with a pipette and placed into 3 100mL flasks. 10mL of potassium iodide solution and 2mL of starch indicator solution were prepared prior to every titration. Titration The mark of where the sodium thiosulfate solution in the burette was recorded before the titration occurred. 10mL of potassium iodide solution was added to each time sample of 20mL sodium hypochlorite solution in the 100mL flasks. The new solution was left until it has completed reacted (when the solution turns light yellow). The solution was then titrated until it turned a very pale yellow. 2mL of starch indicator solution was added to the titrating solution. This should make the solution a dark blue/black colour. Titration continued at a slower rate until the solution had turned clear. Record the finishing titre mark on the burette. These steps were repeated 3 times for each time sample (total of 18 titrations). Figure 1: Diagram of titration in progress. 6.0 Results Table 1: Table showing the amount of sodium thiosulfate solution added to sodium hypochlorite and potassium iodide solution at different times left under the UV ray. Refer to Appendix 2 for initial volume and final volume calculations and averages. Time (mins) Volume (mL) Average of 3 titrations 0 23.35 15 22.95 30 22.51 60 18.35 180 16.03 240 12.70 Table 2: Table showing the concentration of pool chlorine Refer to appendix 3 for converting of average volume of titration to concentration. Amount of time left under UV lamp (mins) Concentration of OCl (M) 0 0.03250 15 0.03198 30 0.03131 60 0.02558 180 0.02234 240 0.01770 Figure 1: Graph showing the concentrations of pool chlorine left under a UV lamp for different periods of time. 7.0 Discussion An experiment design was made to test and compare the effects of UV rays on pool environments, particularly on the impacts of chlorine concentration. In doing this, a total of 18 pool chlorine samples were put under a UV lamp for different periods of time. The concentrations of the chlorine when left untouched by UV rays were stable at around 0.03M. By exposing the pool chlorine samples to ultraviolet lights for given periods of time, the concentration of the chlorine decreased. The graph shows that as the sodium hypochlorite is more exposed to UV rays, the lower concentration of the pool chlorine was. A line of best fit was drawn to display the trend in the data. It showed that there is a linear relationship between the concentration and time left under a UV lamp. The data collected agrees with the theory that UV rays disrupt the structural integrity of the pool chlorine. The photodecomposition of chlorine is apparent as the initial levels of hypochlorite ion decreased by a signific ant amount when exposed to sunlight. The photochemical reaction that represents the situation of the experiment is: The main errors of the experiment were the inaccuracies of most aspects dealt with when implementing the experiment. One anomaly occurred when one sample of chlorine was left under the UV lamp for 60minutes. There is a major drop in concentration from 30min. This suggests that there was experimental error during the investigation. 8.0 Conclusion The results collected from this experiment suggest that the more pool chlorine is subject to UV lights, the lower the concentration of the chlorine will be. It has partially supported the hypothesis Bibliography Deb Smith, D. R. (2006). Chemistry in use Book 2. Sydney: Queensland Chemistry syllabus. Date retrieved: 05/09/12 Fletcher, D. J. (N/D). (The Sodium Hypochlorite Story). Retrieved September 5, 2012, from south shore gunite pools: http://www.southshoregunitepools.com/resources/htms/naocl.htm Gina A. Ishida, B. à ·. (N/D). IMPACT OF CHLORINE AND MONOCHLORAMINE ON ULTRAVIOLET. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC: N/A. Date retrieved: 05/09/12 N/A. (N/D, N/D N/D). Chlorination of pool water. Retrieved September 6, 2012, from pested: http://www.pested.msu.edu/resources/bulletins/pdf/2621/e2621chap7.pdf N/A. (1968). Stabiliser (Cyanurate) Use in Outdoor Swimming Pools. Retrieved September 5, 2012, from NSW Government Health: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/utilities/copyright.asp Appendices Appendix A Going to add MSDS later†¦ Appendix 1 Diluting sodium hypochlorite 100mL of sodium hypochlorite was measured and put into a 1000mL volumetric flask. The flask was filled with distilled water up to the 1L mark The flask was inverted several times Sodium thiosulfate solution 8.82g of sodium thiosulfate was placed into a 1L volumetric flash The flask was filled with distilled water up to the 1L mark The flask was inverted several times Potassium iodide solution 5g of potassium iodide was weighed and placed into a 250mL beaker Distilled water was poured until it reached 105g on the scale The solution was thoroughly mixed Starch solution 1g of starch indicator was weighed and placed into a 250mL beaker 100mL of water was boiled and placed into the 250mL beaker The solution was thoroughly mixed and was left to cool down All solutions were labelled with the name of the solution, the concentration, a group members name and the teachers name. Appendix 2 Initial volume and final volume of sodium thiosulfate left under a UV lamp at different periods of time. 0 min 23.35-0.04 15 min 45.63-23.29 30min 22.34-0.07 = 23.31mL =22.34mL =22.27mL 46.76-23.31 23.04-0.14 44.78-22.32 = 23.45mL =22.90mL =22.46mL 23.54-0.13 46.66-23.04 23.01-0.21 =23.29mL =23.62mL =22.80mL Avg = = = =23.35mL =22.95mL =22.51mL 60 min 41.22-23.01 3 hour 15.62-1.23 4hours 13.23-0.12 =18.21mL =14.39mL =13.11mL 18.62-0.33 30.59-15.62 26.35-13.23 =18.29mL =14.97mL =13.12mL 37.26-18.72 49.32-30.59 38.21-26.35 =18.54mL =18.73mL =11.86mL Avg = = =18.35mL =16.03mL =12.70mL

Free Essays - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Free Essay on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn    In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain the main character, Huck Finn, grows and learns many lessons. Throughout my life I have learned many similar lessons. In addition, I have discovered that there is a relationship between Huck's life lessons and my life lessons. Also I have learned many different lessons that Huck was dispossessed from learning. Twain's character, Huckleberry Finn, and I can be compared and contrasted through lessons we both have learned and lessons that only I have learned. During my life I have learned that lessons are hard, complex, and above all else are universal. One lesson that Huck and I have shared in learning is that a person can choose to escape an unfair situation. Huck escaped his abusive father and was taken in by the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson. I too escaped an abusive father. When I was six years old my mother divorced my father and I decided to live with her. Another lesson that Huck learns is to be his own pe rson. He learns this when he left Tom Sawyer and his gang for his own adventures. I learned this same lesson when some friends wanted to go to a concert on a night that I had school and a project due the next day. I did not go with them and even though my friends had fun, I was proud to be an individual. Additionally, Huck learns that friends are very important because they are always there for you. He and Jim become very close over their long trip down the river. They do things for each other that shows that they are friends. Tom helps Huck rescue their friend Jim from slavery. Huck and Tom free Jim because he is a good friend to them. I have also learned that friends are a tremendous part of my life. On various occasions, friends have helped me study for important tests. Consequently, Huck and I have learned similar important life lessons though the experiences were different. On the contrary, there are also a few lessons that I have learned that Huck has not learned. I have learned that you must deal with your problems instead of running away 12/19/98 from them.

David Brooks -One Nation Slight Divisible Essay

Brooks discussed the differences between the two groups. He described how â€Å"Red America† was made up of farmers and rural communities, while â€Å"Blue America† consisted of big cities with many stores and businesses. As Brooks looked at the red and blue sections of the electoral map, he was interested in the reasons behind the voting patterns. He chose two cities to represent these two sections: Franklin County in Pennsylvania for â€Å"Red America†, and Montgomery County in Maryland for â€Å"Blue America†. He lived in Montgomery county and spent time talking with different people in Franklin county. Brooks began to look deeper at the reasons for the differences between the two groups and wondered if America was really a united nation anymore. The first reason that Brooke considered was economics. He examined his theory that the rich and the poor have separated. The blue states had higher incomes, higher end stores, and jobs. Brooks asked people if they agreed that money was   what had divided the U.S. Although most people greed with that statement, most did not consider themselves the people with less, and it was the ones with less that seemed more content with what they had. As he spent more and more time with the people, he found that it was really not money that split the nation. . The next idea he had was religion. He found that the percentage of people involved in religion was higher in red states. There were more churches in Franklin, and more people attended a weekly religious service. Even with these statistics, Brooks again found it was not religion. He found there were still †bad people† and problems in both cities. Yes there were differences, but the differences didn’t seem to be enough to divide the nation. The final hypothesis Brooks dove into was self. Brooks saw that in â€Å"Red America† there was less striving to be unique and impress others. Humility was much more prevalent in the red states, while people in the blue states tended to place a larger focus on self. Brooke’s decided that this was a big difference, but not big enough to be the reason for division. After looking at all these thoughts, Brooks concluded that the U.S. is not divided, but instead it is a â€Å"Cafeteria Nation.† Brooks said that everyone has their own group to hang out with, just like what you would find in a school cafeteria. There may be differences between people, but in the end they all come together as a nation to help each other in times of trouble. Brooks used the example of 9/11, to demonstrate this principle and then concluded that our nation was not and is not divided after all.

Anthropology of Tattoos

Scarred across her back are raised bumps forming intricate designs of lines and angles, a reminder of who she is and where she is from. She thinks back on the ceremony in which she was marked with the painful scarification. She remembered feeling a sense of calm as the village artist pierced her back with a small arrowhead, stretching the skin away from the body and swiftly but skillfully cutting a slit in her back. He repeated this several times as a ceremonial pot was filled with gathering soot from the burning fire. After the artist finished his tedious design, he rubbed soot from the pot bottom deep into the slits, planting the bacteria that would infect the skin, raising the scars into their meaningful design. She felt accomplished that she withstood the agonizing pain while other members of her clan could not. Her newly inherited body art signified the birth of her first son, and left her with a renewed sense of beauty. This is the way of life common to people indigenous to the motherland of Africa. Scarification, however, is not the only form of body art that is used. Body painting, tattooing, and branding are all similar forms of body art, which can be found in Africa and other cultures throughout the world. The word â€Å"tattoo† comes from the Tahitian word â€Å"tattau†, which means â€Å"to mark†. Tattoos have evolved from being symbols of punishment that were given to identify criminals and slaves in the early ninth-century Chinese culture, into a pop-culture trend of using he skin as â€Å"a way of describing the exotic uncivilized other† within ourselves (Schildkrout 2004:324). For centuries, the body has been used as a â€Å"visible way of defining individual identity and cultural difference† (Schildkrout 2004:319). This cultural difference becomes apparent when studying the evolution of body art over time, especially when focusing on the differences between the Western and Non-Western cultures. People have been adorning their body with tattoos and piercing for centuries, but until recently, the thought of tattoos in ancient Egypt had been pushed aside. It has now been discovered that, without a doubt, tattoos did exist in that time period. Although miniscule, a group of enormously important tattooed mummies serve to help prove this point (Bianchi 1988:21). The first mummy to be discovered was one f a woman named Amunet, whose mummy was found in an excellent state of preservation, â€Å"most likely due to the fact that she served as a priestess of the goddess Harthor at Thebes during Dynasty XI†(Bianchi 1988:22). The tattoos on her body were comprised of a pattern of dots and dashes in an elliptical shape on her lower abdomen. The thighs and arms adorned the identical parallel lines of the aforementioned pattern. Two more women mummies, who were discovered and believed to be from the same time period, also had similar tattoos on their lower abdomen (Bianchi 1988:22). This group of woman represents an exclusive group of Egyptians who received tattoos in that time period, because there is no other evidence that shows tattoos to be a part of the Egyptian culture until the time of the Middle Kingdom. These abstract patterns associated with ritualistic tattooing survived into the New Kingdom. The Egyptians, more then likely, borrowed a form of tattooing from the Nubian civilization. Unlike the Nubians, whose purpose for tattooing is unknown, â€Å"the Egyptians appear to have regarded the tattoo as one of several vehicles by which the procreative powers of the deceased could be revived† (Bianchi 1988:27). Substantiation proposes that only women were associated with the decorating of their bodies and the ritualistic activities that went along with it. The art of tattooing began with the grouping of bluish or black dots and/or dashes forming abstract geometric patterns; that system of body art lasted for over two thousand years in ancient Egypt. Just like other ideas and goods, the idea of tattooing began to travel to several different societies, and has evolved into extremely different forms of art all over the world. In northeastern Zambia, the Tabwa â€Å"once covered themselves from head to foot with scarification† (Roberts 1988:41). The women of the Tabwa began receiving elaborate marks on their face, chest, and backs when they were young girls; it sometimes was continued at other points in a woman’s life (Roberts 1988:43) such as courting rituals and for woman wishing to bear a child. Male sculptors would trace designs and make incisions on the lesser intimate parts of the body; they left the rest for the women to do. ‘Tabwa women used razors to slit skin [that had been] plucked up with a fishhook or arrowhead. These incisions were then rubbed with soot from a pot bottom, an irritant that produced the desired raised cicatrices† (Roberts 1988:44). There were several reasons that this tradition was done, different to every age and gender in the tribe. Young women went through this process in order to achieve a state of perfection, which was required for those wanting to marry and have children (Roberts 1988:45). Scarification is a form of body art that was used in several tribes because according to their customs â€Å"beauty is not physically innate, but rather a function of the girl’s inscriptions† (Roberts 1988:45). Not only the Tabwa, scarification was used in such tribes as the Ga’anda and the Tiv; all the tribes have distinctly different purposes for doing this, but the process and effect of the body are the same. Another form of body art is body painting, which the people of the Southeast Nuba begin at a young age; but the meanings, and time frame from when they begin decorating the body are very different between males and females. The males paint themselves from the ages of 12 to 27 (Faris 1988:31). Typically, they only paint during the down time after the harvest season and before the next years planting begins. This is the time that the males are less involved in mandatory and productive activities; they spend their supplementary time with festive activities such as dance and sport participation. The restrictions placed on the men by their age, most importantly deal with the color that they use on their body—for example â€Å" only the older age groups are eligible to use the greatest elaboration in color, including the deep black and yellow [colors, that are] prohibited to younger grades†(Faris 1988:32). The change in elaboration allowed on the body does not coincide with any physiological changes, rather, it corresponds with changes â€Å"in productive status or sport† (Faris 1988:32). As they move up in grades from young laborers that answer to the elders, to mature men that own their own property, farm and family, their elaborate painting ability increases. The elders though, do not decorate their bodies; rather, they delegate and lead rituals for the younger men and enforce the rules of allowed color use. Therefore, the male body painting shows their progression thru ones life stages. The women of Southeast Nuba, â€Å"from the age of six years, until consummation of marriage, oil and ochre [their bodies] daily, in colors [that are] appropriate to their patri-clan section† (Faris 1988:34). After childbirth, they may continue to wear some oil and ochre on their shoulders. The personal body art of women is strictly related to the physiological changes that occur as a women goes through life, and are fixed around body scarification as a way of showing her changes. A woman’s scarification is so important, that â€Å"if a husband refuses to pay for a scarring specialist, a woman may seek a lover who will do so, and her first marriage will end† (Faris 1988:35). Unlike the males elaborate body art, a woman’s body art is simple, but it accumulates over her life-span and is very standardized, while a male’s body art is constantly changing. Body painting, tattooing and scarification thus far had been tools used by individuals to beautify their body and elevate their status within their tribe; this is not the case with all societies. In several other cultures, tattoos have been used in a form of branding, which is quite the opposite. Though tattooing and branding are â€Å"similar in that both involve the insertion of pigments under the skin to create permanent marks†, branding is implemented in order to lower an individuals status, to punish for crimes committed, to identify slaves, but most importantly, to eliminate personal identity (Schildkrout 2004:323). â€Å"The immutable alteration of human skin by branding needs to be considered in relation to, but ought not be confused with, tattooing† (Bianchi 1988:27). Two recent studies originating in South Africa elaborate on this subject, reporting on the political influence of tattooing â€Å"as a means of social control† (Schildkrout 2004:330). They site examples from Zambia in which a medical practitioner travels around to villages â€Å"in which witch craft accusations have been common†¦to inoculate people against people against witch craft† (Schildkrout 2004:331). The villagers would â€Å"submit to bodily inspections†, they were then treated â€Å"by getting numbers tattooed on their arms† (Schildkrout 2004:331). This is disturbingly reminiscent of Nazi concentration camps when an unfathomable number of Jewish people lost their personal identities and became known as only a number in the system to be disposed of. This â€Å"symbolic denial of personhood† served as a system â€Å"of control and surveillance† (Schildkrout 2004:323). This system of control was also imposed by â€Å"authoritarian regimes† in Southeast Asia (Schildkrout 2004:323). The Zhou and Ming Dynasties branded criminals as a form of punishment with â€Å"extensive, often full-body tattoos, with elaborate pictorial imagery as well as written inscriptions† (Schildkrout 2004:324) portraying their crime. This form of tattooing is definitely contrary to traditional methods. Similarly in Brazil, branding was used to mark convicts by the penal authorities. Penal tattoos derived their power from subjugation of the marked convicts. The humiliation of being visibly branded was a significant component of the convict’s punishment. In an act of resistance, those that had been branded â€Å"were known to reclaim their bodies by writing over the inscriptions or by displaying them in new social situations† (Schildkrout 2004:324). The branded, therefore, became the empowered, restoring the function of the tattoo to being personally-motivated. This personal motivation is perhaps most notable in Western cultures, specifically North America. In America, the Native Americans used body painting in many ways, usually connected with ethnic identity, social roles or marital status (Rubin 1988:179). The Natives also used the body as a canvas in ritualistic ceremonies, on warriors going into battle and for the beautification of their women. When the Europeans discovered America, they brought with them slaves from Africa and they introduced branding of the slaves into the American culture. After the civil war, when the slaves had been freed, branding was still embedded in American culture through groups of people including gang members and convicts. Though â€Å"branding is often associated with involuntary marking and the denial of personhood†, it has also â€Å"been adopted in contemporary Western body culture as an assertion of group identity, for example in college fraternities† (Schildkrout 2004:323). Tattoos were also prevalent in other parts of America, including Alaska. Among the Eskimos â€Å"[t]he function of these art forms [was] – essentially manifesting one’s place or role within the hierarchy of hunting life† (Gritton 1988:190). With the introduction and adaptation of the western civilization in Alaskan culture, â€Å"the marks of a hunter or hunter’s wife served no purpose in their new lives and were understandably abandoned† (Gritton 1988:190). The function of body art and tattooing has been Americanized, evolving from its native origins to incorporate self expression. This self expression has mushroomed from a manor of identifying oneself to a way of gaining attention through shock value. Though ever-changing, all forms of body art mentioned play enormous roles in the lives of people. Certain non-Western cultures are based around the ability to use skin as a visible way of defining status or bettering their self-image, in order to attract companions. So the artists who are allowed to perform the act of adorning bodies with different designs are regarded as having a very important place in the society. They are â€Å"scarring specialist† (Faris 1988:35), â€Å"body artists† (Drewal 1988:84), but most importantly, they are known as â€Å"[the] one-who-creates- art† (Drewal 1988:84). In the non-Native American culture, however, the general attitude towards tattoo artist in present-day American culture is less than appreciative. Extreme critics even characterize tattooist as opportunist, exclusively seeking monetary gain (Sanders 1988:229). â€Å"The tattooist interest in artistry and control is often in conflict with his profit orientation†, revealing the major flaw within the American society (Sanders 1988:229). This is the major difference in western and non-western cultures. Body tattoos in western society are an object to be purchased. Americans obtain tattoos in the same manner that they acquire a new Louis Vuitton handbag. They purchase them as accessories, which is in stark contrast to the non-western cultures, who acquire tattoos as an essential ritual in their society. With this is mind, the process in which American’s purchases body art seems slightly ridiculous. Tattoo artists often complain of the unwillingness of customers to spend the quoted amount of money for â€Å"a tattoo [they] are going to wear for the rest of [their] life† (Sanders 1988:229). It is more acceptable in American culture to invest in short term materialistic purchases, therefore the legitimate tattoo artists are constantly being monitored and regimented under strict laws imposed by the government. Despite the absurdity of the purchasing process, the reasoning that propels the American society to obtain tattoos is just as flawed. Some reasons people give to explain permanently marking their skin include, â€Å"they were drunk, it’s a macho thing, to fit in with a crowd or even worse, for no reason at all† (DeMello 1995:42). Western society seems to have a complete disregard for the spiritual origins of body art. Tattoo artist are even witness to clients’ apathy, avoiding â€Å"working on people who are obviously under the influence of alcohol† (Sanders 1988:225). Where once there was a ceremonious celebration deeply rooted in spiritualism, in American society the only ritualistic ceremony is the receiving of a piece of paper on how to care for the recently acquired body art. This apathetic attitude of Americans is perhaps derived from the renouncing majority of the population. This bias stems from â€Å"very early ‘regulations’ [including] Moses’ remarks in Leviticus 19:28 forbidding any cuttings in the flesh or the printing of any marks† (Armstrong 2005:39). Since tattoos â€Å"were not sanctioned by the church† the profile for the tattooed archetype became unconventional (Schildkrout 2004:325). Christian belief has been adapted to the masses, forcing those who are tattooed into rebellion. The majority of people adopting body art include â€Å"bikers, convicts, and other ‘low lives’† (DeMello 1995:40). In Western society â€Å"the idea that the unmarked body as a sign of God’s work was linked to the Protestant reformation† and â€Å"the idea that body markings were a sign of savagery goes back even earlier† ( Schildkrout 2004:324). This is ironic considering tattoos in earlier cultures signified positions of high status. Perhaps the only entity that ties these drastic cultures together is the desire to increase their inherited beauty. â€Å"If the body is – metaphorically – a site of inscription to various degrees for various theorist, then cosmetic surgery can be seen, at one level, as an example of the literal and explicit enactment of this process of inscription† ( Schildkrout 2004:320), which is also seen in the aforementioned tribes with the rituals of scarification. DeMello also agrees that along with tattooing and piericing, that cosmetic surgery is seen as a form of â€Å"body modification† (DeMello 1995:37). â€Å"Not only does the tattooed skin negotiate between the individual and society and between different social groups, but also mediates relations between persons and spirits, the human and the divine† (Schildkrout 2004:321). Body art is a tradition that extends throughout the barriers of the world and although the forms in which they are found may be different, the idea of using your body as a canvas is universal. Although recently, several anthropologists agreed and have begun to examine body art more closely, looking at it â€Å"as a microcosm of society† (Schildkrout 2004:328), Roberts still believes that â€Å"there can be no ultimate explanation of symbolism† (Roberts 1988:51). He claims that â€Å"the blazes on trees in the Ndembu forest will remain many years after their purpose and meaning are forgotten. So it is with other inscriptions† (Roberts 1988:51). This is exemplified in the woman who endured the agonizing pain of her scarification to instigate a new chapter in her life. Nevertheless, soon after her body is placed into the ground, her skin will no longer be a visible indication of who she once was. She will become a memory and her body will no longer be used as a canvas.

George H. W. Bush Biography

George H. W. Bush Biography George Herbert Walker Bush was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. He was an oil businessman and politician, serving as Texas congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, CIA director, vice president, and as the 41st president of the United States. He died on November 30, 2018, at the age of 94. Fast Facts: George H.W. Bush Born: June 12, 1924Died: November 30, 2018Term in Office: January 20, 1989 - January 20, 1993Education: Graduated from Yale University with a degree in economicsSpouse: Barbara Bush (nee Pierce)Children: George W. Bush,  43rd President of the U.S., Pauline Robinson (Robin) who died at age three, John F. Jeb Bush - Governor of Florida (1999-2007),  Neil M. Bush, Marvin P. Bush, and Dorothy W. Doro BushKey Accomplishments: 41st president of the U.S. Enlisted in World War II at the age of 18 and became the youngest aviator at the time. Founded his own oil company in Texas and became a millionaire by the age of 40. U.S. congressman from Texas’ 7th District from 1967-1971. Ambassador to the United Nations and director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Family Ties and Marriage George H. W. Bush was born to Prescott S. Bush, a wealthy businessman and Senator, and Dorothy Walker Bush. He had three brothers, Prescott Bush, Jonathan Bush, and William Buck Bush, and one sister, Nancy Ellis. On January 6, 1945, Bush married  Barbara Pierce. They had been engaged before he went off to serve in World War II. When he returned from the war in late 1944, Barbara dropped out of Smith College. They were married two weeks after his return. Together they had four sons and two daughters: George W. (43rd President of the U.S.), Pauline Robinson (who died at age three), John F. Jeb Bush (former governor of Florida),  Neil M. Bush, Marvin P. Bush, and Dorothy W. Doro Bush. At time of Barbara’s death on April 17, 2018, she and George H.W. had been married for 73 years, making them the longest-married presidential couple in U.S. history. Of his beloved Barbara, Bush once wrote, â€Å"I have climbed perhaps the highest mountain in the world, but even that cannot hold a candle to being Barbaras husband.† George Bushs Military Service Before going to college, Bush signed up to join the navy and fight in World War II. He rose to the level of lieutenant. He was a navy pilot flying 58 combat missions in the Pacific. He was injured bailing out of his burning aircraft during a mission and was rescued by a submarine. Life and Career Before the Presidency Bush came from a wealthy family and attended private schools. After high school, he joined the Navy to fight in World War II before going to Yale University. He graduated from Yale with honors in 1948, earning a degree in economics. Bush began his career right out of college working in the oil industry in Texas and created a lucrative career for himself. He became active in the Republican Party. In 1967, he won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1971, he was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He served as the chairman of the Republican National Committee (1973-74). He was the chief liaison to China under Ford. From 1976-77, he served as the director of the CIA. From 1981-89, he served as vice president under Reagan. Becoming the President Bush gained the nomination in 1988 to run for president and chose Dan Quayle to run as vice president. He was opposed by democrat Michael Dukakis. The campaign was extremely negative and centered around attacks instead of plans for the future. Bush won with 54% of the popular vote and 426 out of 537 electoral votes. Events and Accomplishments of George Bush’s Presidency Much of George Bushs attention was focused  on foreign policies. Invasion of Panama (1989) - Codenamed Operation Just Cause, the invasion was the result of continuing dissatisfaction with the actions of general and dictator Manuel Noriega. His side lost the election but refused to step down. Because of United States interests in the canal zone and Noriega’s shifting allegiance to the Soviet Union, in December 1989, Bush sent troops into Panama to depose General Manuel Noriega. Noriega was heavily involved in drug trafficking. The attack was a success with Noriega removed from power.Persian Gulf War (1990-91) -   Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces invaded and occupied Kuwait in August of 1990. Other Middle Eastern states such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia became alarmed and called on the US and other allies to assist. From January to February 1991, a US led coalition fought and defeated the Iraqi forces in Kuwait.  This action was given the name Desert Storm. When the Iraqi forces were removed from Kuwait, Bush stopped all military activi ty and did not pursue deposing Saddam Hussein. Bush’s handling of the invasion in Kuwait is often considered to have been his greatest presidential success. From 1990-91, the Soviet Union began breaking up as the Communist Party let go of its stranglehold on the country. The Berlin Wall came down in 1990.Economically, Bush had boxed himself into a corner with his campaign promise, Read my lips: No new taxes. However, he was required to sign  a bill into law  to raise taxes to try and reduce the deficit.Savings and Loan bailout (1989) -   At the time considered to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Bush signed into law a  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹bailout plan paid for by taxpayers.Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska (1989) - The oil tanker hit Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound on March 23rd and subsequently lost 10.8 million gallons of oil. The disaster was further compounded by a slow emergency response and impacted over 1300 miles of coastline.Clean Air Act (1990) - President Bush officially added his support to the Clean Air Act, hastening its long-delayed passage in Congress.Daily Point of Light Award (1990) - Bush crea ted the Daily Point of Light Award to recognize ordinary Americans for taking voluntary action to solve serious social problems in the communities. Over the course of his presidency, Bush recognized 1,020 Daily Points of Light award recipients representing all 50 states who had worked to address problems ranging from childhood AIDS to adult illiteracy and from gang violence to homelessness. Today, the Points of Light organization continues to award Daily Point of Light recognition annually. The 5,000th Daily Point of Light Award was awarded by President Barack Obama on July 15, 2013. Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) - A  civil rights law designed to grant similar protections as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to people with disabilities. Life After the Presidency After losing the 1992 election to Bill Clinton, Bush largely retired from public service. When his eldest son, George W. Bush won the presidency in 2000, Bush Sr. made frequent public appearances in support of his son and many political and social causes. In 2005, he joined with former president Clinton to raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast region in 2005. In a matter of months, the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund raised more than $100 million in donations. In 2011, President Barack Obama honored Bush by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.   Death Suffering from Parkinsons disease since 2012, Bush died at his home in Houston, Texas on November 30, 2018, at age 94. In a statement issued from the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, President Donald Trump praised Bush’s leadership and accomplishments. â€Å"Through his essential authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family and country, President Bush inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service- to be, in his words, ‘a thousand points of light,’† the statement read in part.Former President George H.W. Bush will be buried on the grounds of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, next to Barbara and their long-lost daughter, Robin, who died at age three. Historical Significance Bush was president when the Berlin Wall fell, and the Soviet Union fell apart. He sent troops into Kuwait to help fight Iraq and Saddam Hussein in the First Persian Gulf War. In 1989, he also ordered the removal of General Noriega from power in Panama by sending troops in.   George H W Bush Quotes Appeasement does not work. As was the case in the 1930s, we see in  Saddam Hussein  an aggressive dictator threatening his neighbors.â€Å"I think the 24-hour news cycle has helped exaggerate the differences between the parties. You can always find someone on TV somewhere carping about something. That didnt happen 20 years ago.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I do not like broccoli. And I havent liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And Im President of the United States and Im not going to eat any more broccoli.† Updated by Robert Longley