The True American Hero :: Essays Papers

The True American Hero Heroism demands self-sacrifice, self-discipline, self-confidence and self-respect. Ulysses S. Grant had these qualities in their most complete form. He set out from humble beginnings, and failed. At the age of 38 was a conspicuous failure. Then, like few of us, he succeeded beyond belief. Had he not had tremendous greatness within him, he could never have accomplished what he did. How did such a simple, honest and humble man raise himself in the eyes of his people and the world to the highest position a man or woman can reach - that of a national hero? Grant remained a child at heart throughout his life, and seems never to have realized that he was one. His faith in the goodness of humanity was unbounded, and he was taken advantage of. His simplicity of nature was remarkable, yet this simplicity was the mainspring of his success; certainly it was the first asset of his generalship. While McClellan could see nothing beyond his own operations and Halleck nothing outside of his textbooks, Grant saw things as they were, uncontaminated by his ideas or anyone elses. He saw that the entire problem of winning the civil war was nothing more than an equation between pressure and resistance. The side which pressed the hardest along the lines of least resistance was going to win. His simplicity was the foundation of his modesty and honesty. He could not bear shams, pretensions and humbug. He despised after-dinner speeches and such orations because he felt they were silly; he simply could not deliver them. His orders were always clear, because they were always simple, honest and modest. He could not understand why a man should be dishonest, for to him honesty always seemed the best policy. His modesty taught him self-control, and his sense of duty was exceeded only by his duty towards his country. Self-control leads to self-respect, to dignity without arrogance, to pride without vulgarity, to ambition without selfishness, and Grant possessed all these many virtues to the highest degree. He was not "dignified" in the way that General Lee was, though rough and ready, he was always a gentleman, in the best meaning of the word. He was proud of his soldiers and his work, and ambitious to do his utmost for his country. He had so great a faith in the Union cause that he never for a moment lost hope that in the end it would succeed.

Organizational Behavior Outline

CHAPTER 2: Challenges for Managers †¢ What are the four challenges in globalization? 1. Globalizing the firm’s operation to compete the global village 2. Leading a diverse workforce 3. Encouraging positive ethics, character, and personal integrity 4. Advancing and implementing technological innovation in the workplace †¢ What are the changes in the global marketplace? 1. Social changes 2. Political changes Social and political upheavals have led organizations to change the way they conduct business and encouraged their members to think globally. †¢ Self-Assessment: Planning for a global career Self-assessment is the critical first step in any career planning effort. Self assessment is especially important for those whose goal is to live an work abroad, i. e. , where familiar personal and professional support systems may be non-existent. Readers interested in pursuing international employment should consider their answers to the following types of questions in assessing their readiness for international employment: 1. Why am I interested in an international social work career? 2. Am I interested in effecting change on a macro/global level? 3. Am I interested in working directly with clients from a variety of cultural backgrounds? Both? 4. Am I interested in the personal and professional development which results from the experience of living abroad, whatever the employment situation? 5. Does my commitment to an international career include being based abroad, or would I prefer to be based in my home country? 6. What skills do I have to offer in an international setting? [These skills might include: â€Å"generic† social work abilities such as strengths in psycho-social assessment, supervision or program development; specific social work skills related to particular issues or clients, such as pre-natal services for dolescents, AIDS prevention programming, or working with clients who are substance abusers; and technical and linguistic skills which may be particularly useful in international settings, such as computer skills, health professions training, and of course language competencies]. 7. What are my general and specific practice interests? [These might include considerations of: macro vs. micro pra ctice; administrative vs. case management positions; and work evolving from its setting, such as direct service in an agency base, research and teaching in a university setting, or advocacy work in a human rights organization]. . What international/intercultural experience do I have? [This might include personal background, work, travel or study abroad, or work with clients of diverse education]. 9. What are my issues/preferences concerning lifestyle and adjusting to new settings? Would I feel comfortable with the living conditions in a developing country or do I need a more Westernized lifestyle? Have I tested my abilities to be flexible in adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings and cultures? 10. What is my geographic preference? Is it global in scope? Developed or developing country? 11. Finally, what is my â€Å"dream job†? In planning a career, as opposed to searching for a particular position, it is crucial to have a sense of direction. Even should your anticipated direction change in six months of starting your first job, your preparatory process will serves as the impetus for more careful exploration and experimentation. A catch phrase for the nineties has become â€Å"Think globally, act locally†. With an international social work career, it is possible to have the best of both worlds–that of acting on major international social issues, either at home or abroad, and wherever one chooses to work to be engaged in solving social problems of worldwide dimensions. As the social context of the human services becomes increasingly more internationalized, it is crucial that social workers broaden their world view; the personal and professional rewards for doing so can be immense. †¢ Self-Assessment Activity: How much do you know about sexual harassment? As defined by the Philippine Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, sexual harassment is â€Å"a request for a sexual favor, accepted or not, from an employer, employee, manager, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainer or other persons who have authority, influence or moral ascendancy over another.    It is committed by anyone who demands a sexual favor in exchange for work, promotion or other privileges. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: 1. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment, or 2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or 3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. Sexual harassment includes many things†¦ 1. Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault. 2. Unwanted pressure for sexual favors. 3. Unwanted deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or pinching. 4. Unwanted sexual looks or gestures. 5. Unwanted letters, telephone calls, or materials of a sexual nature. 6. Unwanted pressure for dates. 7. Unwanted sexual teasing, jokes, remarks, or questions. . Referring to an adult as a girl, hunk, doll, babe, or honey. 9. Whistling at someone. 10. Cat calls. 11. Sexual comments. 12. Turning work discussions to sexual topics. 13. Sexual innuendos or stories. 14. Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences, or history. 15. Personal questions about social or sexual life. 16. Sexual comments about a person's clothing, anatomy, or looks. 17. Kissing sounds, howling, and sma cking lips. 18. Telling lies or spreading rumors about a person's personal sex life. 19. Neck massage. 20. Touching an employee's clothing, hair, or body. 21. Giving personal gifts. 22. Hanging around a person. 23. Hugging, kissing, patting, or stroking. 24. Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person. 25. Standing close or brushing up against a person. 26. Looking a person up and down (elevator eyes). 27. Staring at someone. 28. Sexually suggestive signals. 29. Facial expressions, winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips. 30. Making sexual gestures with hands or through body movements. Sexual harassment can be a tricky thing to prove. While it’s a recognized threat in the workplace, very few are willing to come out and complain. Find out what you can do about sexual harassment in case it happens in your office: The Sexual Harassment Act not only covers those who are directly involved but also those who cooperate â€Å"in the commission of† the violation. Sexual harassment can take several forms. If you’re the object of attention, you could be at the receiving end of malicious stares, jokes, comments, notes, letters, graffiti or physical contact. What to do in case of sexual harassment? Sexual harassment can be difficult to prove, especially if it becomes a he said/she said event. To make sure you protect yourself, do the following: Say ‘No’ or ‘Stop it’ firmly and loud enough for someone to hear. If there are potential witnesses, reject the advances through a firm but polite refusal. Unless you’ve been harassed many times before, don’t make the first offense a sideshow. * Express your objection to the person’s behavior clearly and firmly but avoid making too much fuss about it. Saying ‘Stop it! ’ in a loud, shrilly voice or screaming at the top of your lungs might be viewed as proof that you’re a hysterical person. In case of an investigation, you might come off as unreliable or worse, prone to exaggeration. Remember that you might be dealing with a sneaky person who can dismiss your complaint as an exaggerated reaction. * Express your disapproval and be clear about it. If the person asks you why, tell them it makes you uncomfortable and you don’t think its appropriate behavior. Don’t smile and don’t apologize, either. You’ll come off as weak and unconvincing. * Document the event/s. Write down the date, time, place and witnesses to the incident in detail. Use a journal or a notebook and keep it in a safe place. In case you have to file for a complaint later, this will come in handy as evidence. If the harassment escalates, you can also show the journal or notebook to your supervisor. * Inform someone about what happened. Tell your closest confidant or friend at the office. If the incident involved touching, violence, psychological or physical threats, do the same and then go to your manager or supervisor. In his absence, talk to the HR person immediately. Don’t turn the incident into office gossip, however. If you must inform anyone, make sure they are either a person of authority or someone who could become a reliable witness for you. * File a complaint. Chances are your company has policies regarding sexual harassment in the workplace. Check your company manual or go to HR to make sure you make the right steps. They should be able to help you resolve this problem. CHAPTER 3: Personality, Perception, and Attribution †¢ Research diversity statistics in the Philippines for the workplace THE â€Å"LAY DOWN OR LAY OFF POLICY† IN THE WORKPLACE Many women workers are subjected to sexual harassment or sexual violence in the workplace (Bureau of Women and Young Workers,  Sexual Harassment at the Workplace, 1991. ). There is a phrase in the Philippines that sums up the sexual violence experienced by women in the workplace. We call it the â€Å"Lay Down or Lay Off Policy†. Prior to the enactment of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (RA 7877), women resorted to the pertinent provisions of the Revised Penal Code to seek redress for sexual harassment. SIBOL comments that, â€Å"While Republic Act No. 7877 is a step forward in addressing sexual harassment, it has several significant limitations. † †¢ Research an MBTI Instrument and answer it. CHAPTER 4: Attitude, Values and Ethics What is Machiavellianism? How this relate to you personally? Machiavellianism is the political doctrine of Machiavelli, which denies the relevance of morality in political affairs and holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing and maintaining political power. I do not agree with this doctrine since the core of my personality is morality. †¢ Exercise: Chinese, Indian and American Value s Chinese| Indian| American| 1. Mandate of Heaven 2. Confucian relations 3. Harmony 4. The Chinese value the importance of the family 5. bedience, moderation and self-restraint   6. They want to fulfill their own potential 7. With time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown 8. Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere 9. A book holds a house of gold 10. Courtesy demands reciprocity| 11. Cooperation 12. Group harmony 13. Modesty 14. Value is placed on respect for an individual’s dignity and personal autonomy 15. Placidity is valued, as is the ability to remain quiet and still 16. Patience 17. Generosity 18. Indifference to ownership 19. Indifference to saving 20. Indifference to work ethic 21. Moderation in speech 22. Careful listening 23. Careful observation 24. Permissive child rearing| 1. Personal control over the environment/ responsibility 2. Change is seen as natural and positive 3. Time and its control 4. Equality/ fairness 5. Individualism/ independence 6. Self-help initiative 7. Competition 8. Future orientation 9. Action/ work orientation 10. Informality 11. Directness/ openness/ honesty 12. Practicality/ efficiency 13. Materialism/ acquisitiveness|

Cannon

Select a company you believe to be innovative (this should be an internationally known company). Explain what makes this company innovative? In your answer, use relevant theory and examples to illustrate why you believe the company is innovative. Cannon – an innovative company Founded in 1937 with the specific goal of making the best quality camera available to customers, Canon’s passion for the power of image has since extended its technology into many other markets and has established it as a world leader in both consumer and business imaging solutions. Its solutions comprise products, ranging from digital compact and SLR cameras, through broadcast lenses and portable X-ray machines, to multi-function and production printers, all supported by a range of value added services. Canon invests heavily in R&D to deliver the richest and most innovative products and services to satisfy customers’ creative needs. In my essay I will show that through disruptive, strategic and product innovation Canon remains the leader in the market of all its products. Canon has proved that disruptive innovation brings many benefits to businesses. Christensen and Raynor (Christensen and Raynor, 2003) justify that new entrant firms will win with leading firms of an industry through disruptive innovation, by commercializing a simpler, more convenient product that sells for less money and appeals to new or unattractive customer set. Canon has proved that the best way for an upstart company to attack established competitors is to disrupt them. Disruptive innovations do not attempt to bring better products to established customers in existing markets. Rather, they disrupt and redefine that trajectory by introducing products and services that are not as good as currently available products. Still, disruptive technologies offer other benefits – typically, they are simpler, more convenient, and less expensive products that appeal to new or less-demanding customers (Todd and Bessant, 2009). Once the disruptive product gains a share in the new or low-end markets, the improvement cycle begins. In addition, the pace of technological process exceeds customers’ ability to use it; the previously not good enough technology eventually improves to intersect with the needs of the more demanding customers. When that happens, the disruptors are on the path that will ultimately beat the incumbents. Throughout Canon’s history, the company has used disruptive innovation in order to gain market share. In 1982 Canon developed the first personal copier. It gained its name because the reproduction elements were all contained in a cartridge that users could just replace themselves when they ran out. Canon’s desktop photocopiers were a new-market disruption; in that they enabled people to begin conveniently making their own photocopies, rather than taking their originals to the corporate high-speed photocopy center where a technician had to run the job for them. The high-speed Xerox machine was very complicated, needed servicing frequently and only a technician could operate it. When Canon made photocopying so convenient, people ended up making a lot more copies, therefore through disruption innovation Canon has created new value network. Additionally, Canon’s innovation sources come from monitoring the market and following and adjusting to its competitors. In 1987 Ricoh revolutionized the photocopier industry with the release of the first digital photocopier. Thus, Canon followed releasing their digital photocopier products, which effectively consisted of an integrated scanner and laser printer. In 2001 Canon released its first two digital personal copiers, the PC1080F and the PC1060. Furthermore, with the disruptive innovation of touch screen technology, the company has decided to launch its own touch screen display in order to compete in the market. The new Digital IXUS 200 IS features Canon’s first ever touch screen display that delivers intuitive control to the customer and greater ease of use. Canon’s success is also based on the company’s commitment to strategic innovation. Strategic innovation means experimenting with new strategies, with new combinations of the ‘What, Who and How’ of a business. If a company identifies a new customer base, it will start behaving in a way that best satisfies the specific needs of those customers. This behavior will most likely be different from that of established competitors who are serving different customers (Markides, 1997). In the case of Cannon, Xerox leased big photocopiers to corporations through a direct sales force. Canon sold its personal photocopiers to end users through a dealer network. Thus Canon has adopted a different product, along with different selling and distribution strategies. They identified a customer segment that was not currently served by existing competitors. Then they designed their products and delivery systems to fit the requirements of this customer niche. New product innovations from Canon strengthen its leadership in imaging technology. In 2009, Canon has reaffirmed its commitment to innovation in product development with the launch of 38 consumer products ranging from an innovative new Digital SLR camera in its flagship EOS range to a germ resistant calculator, and a first voice guided printer. The new SELPHY ES40 is the first printer, which talks to its user. It provides spoken instructions on how to operate the printer in seven different languages; the guidance also gives advice to assist users of all ages to simplify the printing process. Successful product innovation requires more than the management of technology; it also must address users’ problems and needs, how the product will be used, and for what purpose. Conducting marketing research to obtain customers requirements and needs is a fundamental feature of Canon’s strategic innovation process, which the company adds onto its product innovation cycle. The new EOS 7D digital SLR camera is a completely new design created to meet the specific demands of photographers. During extensive development Canon went back to the drawing board, listening to photographers worldwide, in order to design the new digital camera to meet their specific needs. Commenting on the creation of the EOS 7D, Mr. Uchidoi, Group Executive of Photo Products Group, said, â€Å"We consulted over 5,000 photographers worldwide and asked them what they most wanted to see from a camera. Matching this insight with cutting-edge technology, we were able to develop a camera that truly gives photographers the versatile tool they require to experiment with their images. † Markides (Markides, 1990) argues that successful innovative companies need to adopt a new thinki ng process. New ideas emerge more easily if managers can escape their mechanistic way of thinking and look at an issue from different perspectives or angles. Thinking ‘out side of the box’ enables Canon to create new ideas and pioneer new trends. One area, which Canon has foreseen, was the growing importance of reducing global warming and becoming more ‘green’. Long before it was in fashion, Canon introduced a collection and recycling program for used toner cartridges. The company adopted a corporate-wide lifecycle assessment to understand and reduce its carbon footprint, and it has already achieved zero waste output at its worldwide plants. Canon has jointly developed a new bio-based plastic that incorporates plant-based and organic components to use in its products (Silverstein, 2010). Therefore, innovative thinking helps the company stay ahead of the competition. Another source of innovation is building on the organizations existing core competencies to create a new product or a new way of doing business that is totally different from the way competitors currently do business. Leveraging existing core competencies is therefore one way to create new products or new ways to compete. Canon’s core competencies lay in the combination of the precision mechanics, fine optics and microelectronics technologies that underline all their products (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990). However, most major breakthroughs occur not so much from amortizing existing competencies but from exploiting them to create and accumulate new strategic assets more quickly and cheaply than competitors. A company can use a core competence of a strategic asset in one small business unit (SBU) to help improve the quality of a strategic asset in another SBU (Markides, 1990). Because Canon is in two businesses, cameras and photocopiers, in which the processes of improving dealer effectiveness, speeding up product development or improving assembly-line productivity are similar, it can improve the quality of the strategic assets in its photocopier business by transferring competencies learned in its camera business and vice versa. Leveraging core competencies among Canon’s different business units therefore reduces the costs and saves valuable time. Through the years, Canon has continually provided a lot of innovative and revolutionary products. From the company’s very first product launched, a 35 mm focal plane-shutter camera called the Kwanon, to now a days most recent products, the company has integrated innovation to all of its business units. Canon is committed to developing innovative solutions to enhance business productivity that it invests 8% of annual turnover in R&D. This devotion to innovation translates to fact that the company is consistently rated in the top five most innovative companies in the world in terms of new patent registrations. Thus concluding, throughout disruptive, strategic and product innovation Canon stays one of the leaders in its markets.

En Dashes Clarify Compound Phrasal Adjectives

En Dashes Clarify Compound Phrasal Adjectives En Dashes Clarify Compound Phrasal Adjectives En Dashes Clarify Compound Phrasal Adjectives By Mark Nichol Some style guides recommend using en dashes in place of hyphens for a wide variety of uses, but The Chicago Manual of Style, the guidebook of record for most American publishing companies, advises a more limited set of applications. According to Chicago style, these sentences would all be written with hyphens, not en dashes: â€Å"He had long flown the San Francisco-Los Angeles run.† â€Å"In 1930, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act went into effect.† â€Å"The final score was 6-5.† â€Å"After discussion, the board voted 6-3 to approve the project.† â€Å"Their father-son rivalry persisted for many years.† â€Å"The Michelson-Morley experiment was a significant milestone on the way to the theory of special relativity.† What, then, are en dashes for? First, they separate two numbers in a number range (as in the inclusive page numbers in a chapter, or the years of birth and death in a person’s life span). Second, the en dash functions as a superhyphen. It is this second function that this post details. In a simple phrasal adjective, two single words that, as a temporary compound, modify a noun are often hyphenated: â€Å"Her high-handed gesture backfired.† (The hyphen’s function is to eliminate ambiguity, so that the sentence is not understood as referring to a handed gesture that is high.) But when the first of the two terms in the temporary compound is itself a compound, the greater suspensive strength of the en dash is employed, as in â€Å"She wears jam jar–bottom glasses† or â€Å"The character’s origins go all the way back to the golden egg–laying magic goose.† Alternately, these sentences can be styled with hyphens between the three words in each phrasal adjective, as in â€Å"She wears jam-jar-bottom glasses† and â€Å"The character’s origins go all the way back to the golden-egg-laying magic goose.† This style is used when en dashes are discouraged or not an option, such as online (on Web sites, en dashes, unlike hyphens, require use of a code) or in newspapers, most of which do not use the longer symbol. However, such use of hyphenation does not demonstrate the subtle relationship between the elements of the phrasal adjective. In addition to linking an open compound to another adjective, an en dash serves to connect a proper noun to a word that indicates resemblance or another relationship: â€Å"The character is part Clint Eastwood–type cowboy.† â€Å"You can see him as a Leonardo da Vinci–like genius.† â€Å"She evolved from being a slick Mata Hari–esque female to a more rounded, tomboyish figure.† This structure clarifies that type refers, for example, to â€Å"Clint Eastwood,† not to â€Å"Eastwood† alone. En dashes connect the concepts in the following phrases: â€Å"Academy Award–winning actor,† pre–Industrial Revolution technology,† â€Å"ex–vice president,† and â€Å"non–United Nations action.† However, when connecting a term to a hyphenated compound, a simple hyphen is used, as in â€Å"non-English-speaking visitors† or â€Å"non-government-sponsored programs.† Another case in which a hyphen, not an en dash, is employed is â€Å"post-9/11,† because the short form of the month-date designation is not considered a compound. 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 Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Computer Terms You Should KnowEnglish Grammar 101: Verb Mood25 Idioms with Clean

Voluntary disclosure reporting

Voluntary disclosure reporting Voluntary (or market) disclosure reporting presents beneficial social and environmental impacts on a company, compared to pressure-oriented one. Market disclosure reporting is on the rise (Peiyuan 2005, p.1). The content of market disclosure is designed to justify social values held by the company, keep pressure groups at bay, integrate the corporate social responsibility components as well as build the corporate image (by enhancing brand benefits) (Buniamin 2010, p.117; Peiyuan 2005, p.3).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Voluntary disclosure reporting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This form of reporting can be the bases upon which a company achieves certification (such as ISO 14001) that proves environmental best practices are observed during company operations (that is, from cradle to grave of product life), particularly on pollution matters (Buniamin 2010, p.117). Annual company reports that supplement financia l statements allow pertinent stakeholders to access environmental information. According to Peiyuan (2005, p.3), most companies in China increasingly prefer corporate annual reports. While the annual reports are accessible to investors, corporate boards (decision makers) as well as the larger public, the disclosure index is strictly under check since they are the main information tools for the company. The other channel of reporting is social and environmental impact assessment (SEIA). These reports are highly technical and professional. These reports disclose comprehensively the outcomes from public participation and consultation with the regard to the pollution causes and impacts. Such requirements are hardly needed for corporate annual reporting. Moreover, SEIA report presents a broad spectrum for the disclosure index. Since the printing company has potential sources of adverse pollution of air, land and noise, competitors and pressure groups can use the SEIA report to the compan ys detriment. Corporate annual reports are relevant but rarely subject to environmental audits. Moreover, annual corporate reports focus on initiatives made towards environmental sustainability and conservation, rather than environment degradation, in particular. To a larger extent, corporate annual reports are marketing tools, thus, a wide range of media platforms can be used (Hooghiemstra 2000, p.56). As a company communicates directly to its investors (shareholders), environmental information can be packaged alongside financial statements. Various media platforms allow diversified report setting: board member or conference meeting (use pamphlets and power-point notes), mass media (use radio and television commentaries and adverts) as well as journal publication for long-term reference purposes. It is highly likely that curious and/or keen audience will receive information, since the packaging of annual reports is public friendly (Hooghiemstra 2000, p.56).Advertising Looki ng for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Concerns raised by any audience on the state of the environment can form the bases for a comprehensive SEIA study reporting. It is evident that proponents incur high financial costs while undertaking SIEA studies and audits, thus, should be undertaken when necessary or when adverse impacts are unforeseeable (zero/ null alternative). Since annual financial reporting is mandatory for any business, accommodating social and environmental aspects within the same report reduces cost of duplicating efforts. In other words, it allows for common budget planning and handling of different corporate annual report themes at a go. Printing services pollute less compared to coal ad fossil fuel combustion facilities or paper and plastic manufacturers. The fact that the client has the option to discern (exercise due diligence) between the choice of paper (recycled or non-re cycled) the blame for pollution shifts from the company to the next party. However, the company has the duty to inform, educate, and advocate for what is environmentally friendly. Legislations on and the enforcement of cleaner production may negate the need for SEIA reports. References Buniamin, S 2010, ‘The Quantity and Quality of Environmental Reporting in Annual Report of Public Listed Companies in Malaysia’, Issues in Social and Environmental Accounting, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 115-135. Web. Hooghiemstra, R 2000, ‘Corporate Communication and Impression Management– New Perspectives Why Companies Engage in Corporate Social Reporting’, Journal of Business Ethic, vol. 27, pp. 55–68. Web. Peiyuan, G 2005, Corporate Environmental Reporting and Disclosure in China. Web.

The Myth of the Bra Burning Feminists of the Sixties

The Myth of the Bra Burning Feminists of the Sixties Who was it who said, â€Å"History is but a fable agreed upon?† Voltaire? Napoleon? It doesn’t really matter (history, in this case, fails us) because at least the sentiment is solid. Telling stories is what we humans do, and in some cases, veracity be damned if the truth isn’t as colorful as what we can make up. Then theres what psychologists call the Rashomon Effect, in which different people experience the same event in contradictory ways. And sometimes, major players conspire to advance one version of an event over the other. Burn, Baby, Burn Take the long-held assumption, found even in some of the most respected history books, that 1960s feminists demonstrated against the patriarchy by burning their bras. Of all the myths surrounding women’s history, bra burning has been one of the most tenacious. Some grew up believing it, never mind that as far as any serious scholar has been able to determine, no early feminist demonstration included a trash can full of flaming lingerie. The Birth of a Rumor The infamous demonstration that gave birth to this rumor was the  1968 protest of the Miss America contest. Bras, girdles, nylons, and other articles of constricting clothing were tossed in a trash can. Maybe the act became conflated with other images of protest that did include lighting things on fire, namely public displays of draft-card burning. But the lead organizer of the protest, Robin Morgan, asserted in a New York Times article the next day that no bras were burned. â€Å"That’s a media myth,† she said, going on to say that any bra-burning was just symbolic. Media Misrepresentation But that didn’t stop one paper, the Atlantic City Press, from crafting the headline â€Å"Bra-burners Blitz Boardwalk,† for one of two articles it published on the protest. That article explicitly stated: â€Å"As the bras, girdles, falsies, curlers, and copies of popular women’s magazines burned in the ‘Freedom Trash Can, the demonstration reached the pinnacle of ridicule when the participants paraded a small lamb wearing a gold banner worded ‘Miss America.† The second story’s writer, Jon Katz,  remembered years later that there was a brief fire in the trash can- but apparently, no one else remembers that fire. And other reporters did not report a fire. Another example of conflating memories? In any case, this certainly was not the wild flames described later by media personalities like Art Buchwald, who wasnt even near Atlantic City at the time of the protest. Whatever the reason, many media commentators, the same ones who renamed the  womens liberation movement  with the condescending term Womens Lib, took up the term and promoted it. Perhaps there were some bra-burnings in imitation of the supposed leading-edge demonstrations that didnt really happen, though so far theres been no documentation of those, either. A Symbolic Act The symbolic act of tossing those clothes into the trash can was meant as a serious critique of the modern beauty culture, of valuing women for their looks instead of their whole self. Going braless felt like a revolutionary act- being comfortable above meeting social expectations. Trivialized in the End Bra-burning quickly became trivialized as silly rather than empowering.  One Illinois legislator was quoted in the 1970s, responding to an  Equal Rights Amendment  lobbyist, calling feminists braless, brainless broads. Perhaps it caught on so quickly as a myth because it made the womens movement look ridiculous and obsessed with trivialities. Focusing on bra burners distracted from the larger issues at hand, like equal pay, child care, and reproductive rights. Finally, since most magazine and newspaper editors and writers were men, it was highly unlikely they would give credence to the issues bra burning represented: unrealistic expectations of female beauty and body image.

Film review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Film review - Essay Example Despite Israel’s desire for peace, its detractors proceed the efforts of indicting it. Dershowitz made the film attractive, forming the mix of interviews of historians and politicians. We are able to hear, for example, the opinions of Michael Oren and Aharon Barak. Sometimes Dershowitz appears in front of his listeners, commenting on some issues or giving us the hint about the next episode. Sometimes the viewer sees him conducting and talking to some of his interviewers. For those who do not see contradiction being concerned about human rights, the book â€Å"Palestine: Peace, Not Apartheid† by Jimmy Carter was written. He supports this idea and his book contains many attacks on Israel. This work had pushed Dershowitz to make  his own project The Case for Israel. This part begins with the Carter’s arrival at Brandeis University in order to publicize the book. His idea was that Palestine has more rights, including the rights for land, than Israel. He said they do not want negotiation, Palestinians want to be separate. Dershowitz said he can’t â€Å"fully comprehend† this position and he had a lot to talk about and challenged him to hold a debate, but Jimmy Carter refused (â€Å"The Case for Israel†). Alex Safian, an associate director, tells that Dershowitz found discrepancies in that Carter spoke at meetings and interviews, and that was published in his book in fact (â€Å"The Case for Israel†). This film was made as a response to Carter. It is possible to listen to an opinion of professor of law Amnon Rubinstein, who proves that in Israel â€Å"the law is equal to all citizens, all residents† without taking into account race, skin color, gender and religion (â€Å"The Case for Israel†). Dershowitz has courage to claim that Carter â€Å"has blood on his hands of four thousand Palestinians and over a thousand of Israelis and is a co-conspirator of the crime against Palestinians† (â€Å"The Case for