Belize Logistics Essay - 1322 Words

The history of Belize dates back thousands of years. The official name of the territory was changed from British Honduras to Belize in June 1973. â€Å"The current government of Belize took form when they declared their independence in 1981. This government is headed by the Queen of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II, who is acting head of state. The Queen is represented by a Governor General due to her having to reside in Great Britain. The Governor General is the true authority in power; however, he does not officially run the government that is led by the Prime Minister and his cabinet. Currently in the Senate there are 12 members, plus the President of the Senate. The Governor General appoints 6 senators on advice of the Prime†¦show more content†¦Most serious medical problems can be treated in Belize City’s main hospital. There are approximately 700 hospital beds in all of the country of Belize. Dental care is generally provided at approximately half the cost of that of American procedures, and is performed by quality trained US dental surgeons. Although they are rare and low risk to most visitors and residents, there are cases of Cholera, Typhoid Rabies and Malaria within Belize. As of 2009, nearly 5000 people within Belize’s adult population were living with HIV. Dengue is also present, and may be contracted through mosquitos. Wildlife poses as a threat to health while in Belize as well because there are many poisonous plants and animals throughout the country. Killer bees in Belize are also cause for medical awareness as they are quite aggressive, but humans can be protected from them simply with bug spray. Although food from street vendors is generally safe, tourists often suffer from â€Å"Belize Belly† because their stomachs are not accustomed to digesting those types ofShow MoreRelatedGod s Life With Believers And Non Believers987 Words   |  4 Pagesdemonstrate the characteristics of a servant leader and has perpetually concern for others in difficult circumstances. There was an older woman, who was a founder and president of a Christian ministry in Central Belize. This leader became a spiritual mentor to me and taught me all the logistics of the overall operations of the school program of this ministry. In addition, she instructed me to lead short-term mission teams from the United States. As a ministry worker, she was rather tough on me and neverRead MoreThe Need, Idea, And Tested Concept958 Words   |  4 Pagesbut rather it is about satisfying your costumer. Young visionary entrepreneurs attack the market by looking at the untouched or abandoned spots. Bridging North America and South America, Central America including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama have a population of 31 million people. Seventy five prevent of these people travel by land and twenty five prevent travel by air. Violent crime in Central America is reaching breathtaking levels. Murder rates inRead MoreImpact of International Business on the Global Economy4621 Words   |  19 Pagesinternational business company, is how to select from the available options. Belize is such a country that entered the offshore industry after carefully analyzing and adopting the best features of some of the best offshore jurisdictions in existence. Its long history of democracy and stability, enhanced by its legal system which is based on English common law, have made it the premier source for easy market transition (â€Å"Belize Offshore Consultants†). Strategic Planning in International Business TheRead MoreInternational Business : Cross Border Commerce1460 Words   |  6 PagesCommon Market was created in 1969 to abolish all barriers between Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. Caribbean Community and Common Market was created in 1973 to promote the economic integration and development between Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, etc. European Union was formed in 1992 to improve the political, economic, and social interactions between other EU members while using a single currency called the Euro. Association of Southeast Asian NationsRead MoreMarket Analysis : The Whole Mexican Market2974 Words   |  12 Pageszinc and natural gas have made Mexico an important energy and material exporter. Benefits of doing business in Mexico Strategic geographic location Located in the North American subcontinent, Mexico is placed with the U.S to the north, Guatemala and Belize to the south, the Gulf of Mexico to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Mexico and the United States share nearly 2,000 miles of borderland. This geographic location makes Mexico an ideal place to serve the U.S, one of the largest consumerRead MoreComparing Mexicos Pyramids to Egypts3404 Words   |  14 Pagesstructures. Although they are not nearly as celebrated as the Egyptian pyramids and have not received comparable scholarly attention, the extraordinary pyramids, temples, and other structures constructed by the Maya in what is now southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and parts of El Salvador and Honduras are nonetheless significant from archaeological, historical, architectural, and engineering perspectives. Like the ancient Egyptians, the MayaÂâ€"whose civilization dates from at least 3000 B.C. and whoRead MorePricing Startegies for Mcdonald2297 Words   |  10 Pagesused which is â€Å"I’d Hit It†. It is the name of a McDonalds banner advertisement, part of the im lovin it campaign. The phrase, which is slang for Id have sex with it, had been proved controversial. Id Hit It banner ad controversy [pic] LOGISTIC AND DISTRIBUTIONS McDonald’s is a company that distributes their products throughout the world using the franchising method. Franchising is the granting of a license by one person (the franchisor) to another (the franchisee), which entitles theRead MoreHard Rock Cafe Case Study5960 Words   |  24 PagesAmerican locations. Hard Rock Cafe have turned to outsourced logistics in 2003 - Hard Rock Cafe International Inc. is outsourcing logistics for its signature souvenirs and apparel in an effort to improve service levels to its stores and cut costs. Logistics Outsourcing Methodology and deep experience in transportation and global distribution helped us make a critical long-term strategic decision. Projected benefits from Hard Rock Cafes logistics outsourcing initiative include: -- Reduced North AmericanRead MoreHard Rock Cafe Case Study5950 Words   |  24 PagesAmerican locations. Hard Rock Cafe have turned to outsourced logistics in 2003 - Hard Rock Cafe International Inc. is outsourcing logistics for its signature souvenirs and apparel in an effort to improve service levels to its stores and cut costs. Logistics Outsourcing Methodology and deep experience in transportation and global distribution helped us make a critical long-term strategic decision. Projected benefits from Hard Rock Cafes logistics outsourcing initiative include: -- Reduced North AmericanRead MoreLevis - 4 Ps5809 Words   |  24 PagesMiddle East: Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates Africa: Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa. Latin America: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela VALUES: Levi Strauss Co. has four major core values. These are †¢ -Empathy

Does Smoking Cause Lung Cancer Essay - 1277 Words

INTRODUCTION nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Its a proven fact. Each year more Americans die from lung cancer and other smoking related diseases than they die from aids, drug abuse, car accidents and homicide, combined. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Cigarette smoking is a danger to our life and health. It is the leading known cause of lung cancer. Each year more than 30,000 people will die of lung cancer and 4 out of 5 of them will get it because of cigarette smoke. Studies have proven that there is no safe way to smoke. Tobacco contains many dangerous cancer causing chemicals that affects the lungs of the smoker and the nonsmoker, so smoking just a little amount can increase your chances of getting lung cancer. The Surgeon General has†¦show more content†¦Men who smoke are 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer, while women who smoke are estimated to be 12 times more likely. The earlier you start smoking and the longer you smoke increases the danger. But if you stop smoking, the risk of cancer falls each year as abnormal cells are replaced by normal cells. In ten years, the risks decreases to a level that is 30 to 50 percent of the risk for people who continue to smoke. Thats why its important for young people to never start smoking. WHAT SMOKING DOES TO YOUR LUNGS nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Cigarette smoke contains many dangerous chemicals. Carbon monoxide robs your blood of oxygen and may encourage build-up of deposits in your arteries. Nicotine is an addictive agent. Tar contains cancer causing chemicals which tend to build up in lung tissue. The Healthy Lung nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The air we inhale enters the lungs through tubes called bronchi. These branch into the smaller brochioles and finally into tiny air sacs, the aveoli. The average lung has more that 300 million of these air sacs, which provides a combined area of more than 750 square feet for oxygen to be absorbed into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide to be expelled. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;To some extent our breathing apparatus can can clean itself. Mucus produced by some cells in the bronchi traps unfamiliar material, and the movement of the cilia, tiny hair-like structures on other cells, sweeps the mucus forward the throat,Show MoreRelatedDoes Smoking Cause Lung Cancer Essay1294 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom lung cancer and other smoking related diseases than they die from aids, drug abuse, car accidents and homicide, combined. Cigarette smoking is a danger to our life and health. It is the leading known cause of lung cancer. Each year more than 30,000 people will die of lung cancer and 4 out of 5 of them will get it because of cigarette smoke. Studies have proven that there is no safe way to smoke. Tobacco contains many dangerous cancer causing chemicals that affects the lungs of theRead MoreCause And Effect Of Lung Cancer Essay1334 Words   |  6 Pages Lung cancer is one of the most lethal cancer known throughout the world. The most common suspect of that is smoking, then what happens to the people who inhales the smokers’ smoke? Are they also at risk for developing lung cancer from being a victim? The answer to that right now is that secondhand smoke alone is just a risk factor, there are no evidence right now that currently show that secondhand smoke alone can cause lung cancer by itself. This means that we need to encourage studies that areRead MoreShould Smoking Be Banned?1457 Words   |  6 PagesBan the Cancer Sticks Lung cancer has increased within the past decade; one of the biggest reasons is that more and more people smoke now than they have in the past. Smoking causes damage not only in the lungs, but also in the body, lips, or inside the mouth. Even though smoking does harm your body there are some good things that come from smoking. Like it can lower the risk of obesity, and knee replacement surgery. There are different types of lung cancer one for smoking and the other, nonsmokingRead MoreThe Effects of Smoking on the Body Essay748 Words   |  3 Pagesof Smoking on the Body Almost one third of the World’s population are smokers for one reason or another, appearance, reduce stress etc. However, I, and many others, find it very difficult to believe smoking can aid anyone’s appearance as it encourages early ageing, and I do not believe that any of the risks that smoking has is worth any amount of stress relief that it can provide. Cigarette smoking can have serious health effects on the human body. Smoking causesRead MoreLung Cancer : Causes And Effects1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe leading cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States and worldwide is lung cancer. Lung cancer is responsible for thirty percent of cancer deaths in the United States. The deaths caused by breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer combined do not add up to the deaths that lung cancer causes. In 2007, 158,683 people, 88,243 men and 70,354 women died from lung cancer in the United States (Eldridge, 2012). Out of the 158,683 people that died from lung cancer in 2007, 135Read MoreThe Effect of Smoking on Health Essay example670 Words   |  3 PagesThe Effect of Smoking on Health â€Å"Tobacco smoke is a complex mixture of more than 4,000 chemicals in the form of gases, particles or both. When you inhale cigarette smoke, dozens of harmful substances enter your lungs and spread through your body. They can reach your brain, heart and other organs within 10 seconds of the first puff.† (Winstanly. M et al 1995) Tobacco is a plant which has been grown over thousands of years upon which many scientific experiments haveRead MoreEffectiveness Of Models Of Health1647 Words   |  7 Pagesrelation to Smoking-related Conditions Models of health include biomedical model and social models.  ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Firstly, this essay explains why as patterns of illness change over the last 150 years, social models are more relevant than biomedical model in helping us understand causes of ill health. Secondly, it discusses how social models like Biopsychosocial and Dhalgren and Whitehead’s model are effective, to a certain extent, in explaining current trends in significant health issues like smoking-related conditionsRead MoreThe Effects Of Smoking On Public Places993 Words   |  4 Pagesenvironmental tobacco smoke has been an issue. Smoking tobacco products is the leading, preventable cause of death in the United States. More than ten times of the deaths from smoking cigarettes have added up to be more deaths than all the wars fought by the United states (Jones, Page 65, 2016). There are more deaths caused each year from tobacco use than all deaths of HIV, illegal drug and alcohol use, car accidents, and murders combined (Judd, page 110, 2009). Smoking harms nearly every organ and part ofRead MoreHealth Care For Lung Cancer1224 Words   |  5 Pages2012 there was in increase in lung cancer deaths by 3.5%, this percent is still rising in women while it’s stable in men (CDC, 2014). Nowadays, about 402,324 Americans have lung cancer. In 2014, the newly diagnosed lung cancer cases are 224,210, they represent 13% of all cancer diagnosis (ACS, 2014). Lung cancer affects old people and always they diagnosed in the last five years of their life. Around 80% of people who live with lung cancer their ages more than 60 years (USNIH, 2011). In KentuckyRead MoreLung Cancer : The Most Common Types Of Cancer896 Words   |  4 PagesTitle Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, but more importantly, it has a very low survival rate. The sad truth is that nearly all cases of lung cancer could have been prevented, simply by not smoking. Mr. Ward is a perfect example of this in the case study. Having smoked for approximately 67 years, it was only a matter of time before he developed some type of cancer, in this case lung cancer. This paper will describe how lung cancer, specifically squamous cell cancer of the right

St. John Bosco (1815-1888) Free Essays

A man with a vision, with an awareness of the good that lives in people, with an ability of dreaming dreams of beauty for those he met along his way, this is John Bosco. St. John Bosco (1815-1888) was born to poor parents in Recchi, Italy, the Piedmont area of northern Italy. We will write a custom essay sample on St. John Bosco (1815-1888) or any similar topic only for you Order Now When John was two, his father died prematurely. As a boy, John lived on a farm with his family doing the only thing they knew how, farming. Poverty and a lack of formal education in the home did not stop the growth of John Bosco as a person. His mother was for real, realizing the importance of God in life. This friendship with God became powerful and slowly John prepared for the priesthood. In 1841 at the age of 26, John was ordained priest at Turin, and immediately gave himself to that work, finding shelter for neglected youth and instructing them in religion. He was now ready to make his contribution toward the poor and homeless. He rented an old barn in a field which he called â€Å"The Oratory.† This was the first of many oratories John Bosco founded for helping poor boys who needed a home. He believed that prayer and Holy Mass and Communion and confession are the best ways for children to attain a sense of personal responsibility. In a short time, other priests joined him in his work and by 1852 they were caring for over 600 boys. John dealt with them by using a minimum of restraint and discipline, lots of love, keeping careful watch over their development and encouraging them personally and through religion. John†s preaching and writing, as well as the charitable support of wealthy and powerful patrons allowed for expansion of his work. The need for dependable assistants led to the founding of the society of St. Francis de Sales in 1859, and it continues to work today. To provide similar care for the poor and neglected girls, John Bosco founded, in 1872, the Daughters of Our Lady, Help of Christians. The life of St. John Bosco was full and his zeal contagious. He never got tired of talking and writing about his work for the young and their care. On this feast day the Church has chosen for the Office of Readings an excerpt from one of his letters. It expresses his concern and is applicable for our time when children suffer from neglect in broken homes and in less than ideal welfare situations. John wrote: â€Å"If we wish to appear concerned about the true happiness of our foster children and if we would move them to fulfill their duties, you must never forget that you are taking the place of the parents of these beloved young people. I have always labored lovingly for them, and carried out my priestly duties with zeal. And the whole Salesian Society has done this with me. Juggler, magician, acrobat, tailor, teacher and writer, John Bosco became all of these in his efforts to lead boys and girls to God. A prayer was the price of admission to his shows; a friendly contest to match skill or strength was his answer to the hoodlums who laughed at him. As a priest he was known as Don Bosco and built churches and schools. John Bosco would be pleased with the concern that the Church has today for education. This concern is expressed in the II Vatican Council†s Decree on Christian Education. John Bosco died on January 31, 1888 and was canonized in 1934 by Pope Pius XI. His work was continued by a group of dedicated people called the Salesians. His feast day is celebrated on January 31. St. John Bosco is honored by us as an outstanding teacher and father to the young, and we ask that we be filled with love like his. How to cite St. John Bosco (1815-1888), Papers

Impact Of Core Values And Principle Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Impact Of Core Values And Principle. Answer: Introduction Core values are the enduring and fundamental tenets which should not be compromised at any situation, even if for any kind of short-term convenience or any financial gain. As stated by Thomas J. Watson Jr., the former chief executive of IBM, while finding the primary differences between failure and beliefs, mostly the organizations are stuck with the question of sustaining the great talents within the organization. This also leads back to the question whether the organization can sustain the common senses and causes through generations (Collins and Porras et al). However, this answer lies within the belief of any organization. It is also believed by many of the academicians that for surviving in the competitive market and achieving success an organization should have a pre-determined set of beliefs that can be the foundation of any action or policy taken for the organization or its stakeholders (Shapiro Stefkovich, 2016). These beliefs are mostly called the core values which should come before any action, policy or practice and the organizations should faithfully adhere to these values through generations. In any political organization, the core values have a significant part to play as the general people starts believing in a particular organization if they are holding on to their core principle values. This essay will address the issue of the impact of these core beliefs on the decision making process of any leader along with defining how the decision making process of Narendra Modi is determined by either compassion or beliefs. Discussion Individual assumptions and beliefs can be very much significant in the decision making process of any organization or any individual. As stated, We dont believe the world we see; we see the world we believe, defines that frequently the decisions may not make much sense to other people; however, it can always have a huge influence on the learning capacity of people. While making any decisions, the individual culture and values play a huge part (Axelrod, 2015). Several researches in the past, have already addressed the issue of being committed to the organization and to its core values. Most of the times, the core value provides a simple yet substantial guidance to the decision making process. In the business world, the organizations consider their clients ahead of anything else because they know that without the customers, the organizations are nothing (Kaner, 2014). Therefore, their core values are directed towards serving the customers along with supporting the employees who are doi ng so. There are number of core values that the organizations have. The visionary organizations mostly have three to six core values. These values are deeply rooted and fundamentally determined by the organization; therefore these are not going to changed or compromised at any situation. However, Ford Richardson (2013) states that, it is highly possible that if the organizations are holding more core values, it can affect the decision making process of the leaders. The leaders may fail to recognize that which value is truly core, therefore creating a statement of those values, the leaders may not be able to comprehend the faithful adherence towards a specific one. On contrary, they may not understand which values can be compromised or discarded if the surroundings are not adequately favorable. It should be noted that the core value or the core ideology should exist in any political or strategic organization as the internal constituent, even though it is largely dependent on the external se ttings (Pettigrew, 2014). As an instance, it can be said that when the British created their colonies, they did not put independence and equality as the core value of those political institutions as the external environment did not support it. However, the core ideologies change with the course of time as these values work towards providing inspirations and guidance to all the future generations. Individual beliefs and compassion has been two major core values for the leaders. Individual beliefs do play a central part in shaping the decisions of the managers or the leaders. These are the assumptions that every individual make about themselves and the outer world. Beliefs are also about what an individual thinks about other beings, what they consider to be the most valuable resources and the generalizations that they make regarding their surroundings (Blondel Mller-Rommel, 2016). Therefore these considerations act as a fundamental base for the decision making process. In a similar way, compassion also acts as a base for the decision making as it is one of the core values of the learning approach. Compassion can be defined as the brief judgment which an individual makes for appreciating others situations, beliefs and perspectives even if those are different than their own (Verbeek, 2017). Being compassionate strongly means that an individual is honestly concerned for the requi rements of other people. If the leaders are compassionate the decisions are made considering all the aspects of the situation. While analyzing Narendra Modis decision making procedure, it can be indicated that his decision making process is entirely driven by compassion that individual beliefs. After so many years of independence, India still lags behind in some genres. So far, the leaders were interested more in scrapping the poverty out of the country, which was clearly not achieved in so many years. On the other hand, Narendra Modi believes in measuring the induce development, therefore he is making successful investments in the ports and roads, power, energy and encouraging more new businesses and entrepreneurs for investing in India. Therefore this has created more job opportunities and increased the annual income of general population which eventually is bringing more taxes for the country. This decision is entirely driven by the compassion as it has been taken in a way which indicated that he is taking care of his countrymen and ensuring that they raise their standards of living in near future. Modi h as also shown some of his dictatorial attributes in his way of decision making that may seem that he is making decisions out of his own individual beliefs, but he has implemented more pragmatic decisions than the previous leaders. Modi has shown willpower for rooting the corruption out of the country with the recent note- ban. This decision may be considered to be driven out of his individual beliefs, but it is also due to the transparent judgment after considering all the potential aspects of the decision. With the immediate results of the note ban, it may seem to be wrong and dictatorial decision, but in the long run, it can root the corruption out of the country. Modi has also indicated his concern for the lower class of the society and addressed a major issue in the country which is making India a fair and clean country from all the aspects. When he declared Toilets before temples, it has shown his compassion towards the welfare of his country. Conclusion In conclusion, it can be said that, the core values do not only considered for the organizations, but it also drives the individual decisions of a human being. When a political leader makes sharp and definite choices, it tends to bring more clarity for the decision making process of the general population as well. Most of the times, the voters tend to become confused and unable to make decisions in choosing their leaders, however, the compassionate and definite making of decisions also influence their decision making as well. Even though the core values of an individual may not change, but with the course of time the core values change along with the situation. Therefore, even if people do not believe in the political belief of Narendra Modi, they can still consider him as their leader considering his decision making procedures. References Axelrod, R. (Ed.). (2015).Structure of decision: The cognitive maps of political elites. Princeton university press. Blondel, J., Mller-Rommel, F. (Eds.). (2016).Governing together: the extent and limits of joint decision-making in Western European cabinets. Springer. Carsten, M. K., Uhl-Bien, M. (2015). Follower beliefs in the co-production of leadership.Zeitschrift fr Psychologie. Cianci, A. M., Hannah, S. T., Roberts, R. P., Tsakumis, G. T. (2014). The effects of authentic leadership on followers' ethical decision-making in the face of temptation: An experimental study.The Leadership Quarterly,25(3), 581-594. Collins and Porras et al. Built to Las pp 46-79 Ford, R. C., Richardson, W. D. (2013). Ethical decision making: A review of the empirical literature. InCitation classics from the Journal of Business Ethics(pp. 19-44). Springer Netherlands. Kaner, S. (2014).Facilitator's guide to participatory decision-making. John Wiley Sons. Pettigrew, A. M. (2014).The politics of organizational decision-making. Routledge. Prooijen, J. W., Jostmann, N. B. (2013). Belief in conspiracy theories: The influence of uncertainty and perceived morality.European Journal of Social Psychology,43(1), 109-115. Shapiro, J. P., Stefkovich, J. A. (2016).Ethical leadership and decision making in education: Applying theoretical perspectives to complex dilemmas. Routledge. Verbeek, B. (2017).Decision-making in Great Britain During the Suez Crisis: Small groups and a persistent leader. Routledge.

Alpha And Omega Of Active Compasion Essays - Free Essays

Alpha And Omega Of Active Compasion Essays - Free Essays Alpha And Omega Of Active Compasion Alpha and Omega of Active Compassion Have you ever walked down a crowded city street and looked down to see a homeless man stretching out his soiled hand in hopes of a measly dollar? As human beings, are we obligated to give this man our earning? And just how much do we give him? A dollar? Our VISA card? We have a general responsibility, as residents of civilization, to our fellow man, as long as it doesnt interfere with our own personal progress. The ideals of welfare, charity, and the generous foreign policies are all prime examples of our aid to others, but the world is still uncertain on, how much do we give?. The idea of welfare was founded in the United States around the time of the great depression. It was meant to temporarily help the financially less fortunate. This was intended to get the ball rolling for the economy. The government would play Robin Hood by taking from those who had money, and giving it to help those who didnt. In time, they would put their feet back on the ground and would no longer need the relief of their government. This was a very kind and productive way to help our fellow man in his time of need. Unfortunately somewhere along the line the idea of helping the broke modified, and we were simply giving them money when they had no intention on recovering from the debts of poverty. And so we continued to show everyone else how to get money for free. This is an excellent example on how we exceeded our obligation to others. Instead of a few dollars of generosity to uphold others, we give up to half of our earnings to support those who choose not to help themselves. By doing this, we have slowed our individual progress in society. Charity is another form of helping the less fortunate persons on earth. That, unlike welfare, is to be executed at our own discretion. There is no forcing hand in charity, although sometimes we still do not know were to our responsibly begins and ends. Some individuals feel they have no responsibility toward others, and some feel they have no boundaries to their giving. How much should we give? Is it sufficient to toss a quarter or two into a cup of a broken man on the boardwalks of Atlantic City? Or should we take the man under our wings, feed, clothe and house him? The idea seems silly, but it helps us draw the line to where our responsibility to our fellow man begins and ends. The loss of pocket change wound not interfere with our lives, but the taking in of a strange man would certainly slow the progress of our success. That is where we stop giving. The stunning of development of one potentially fortuitous human being isnt worth the slight elevation of an already broken man. That would simply slow the growth of civilization. The foreign policies of the United States, in particular, are more than generous. Week after week, taxes are taken out of paycheck by the government. This money in turn does not always flow back to our masses, but the masses of other nations. It is understood that the poverty levels of the less flourishing countries are extreme. We know they are starving, freezing, and dying. So our government sends the taxes collected to those countries in need. That would be acceptable if we ourselves didnt have citizens starving, freezing, and dying. That is just one more example of how we have anchored our progress as a nation to help others, when we ourselves need the food, cloths and homes. We all have a responsibility to our fellow man. Otherwise, civilization would not exist. But we must all know we cannot help others until we achieve perfection within ourselves. We cannot give more than we can afford to give. We cannot stop our progression to aid others, so that, in turn, we are so disadvantaged that we need help ourselves. Compassion is the key to humanity, but survival is still the key to life. Bibliography none.

The Problem With Feudalism

The Problem With Feudalism Medieval historians arent generally bothered by words. In fact, the intrepid medievalist is always ready to leap into the rough-and-tumble milieu of Old English word origins, medieval French literature, and Latin Church documents. Icelandic Sagas hold no terror for the medieval scholar! Next to these challenges, the esoteric terminology of medieval studies is mundane, and no threat to the historian of the Middle Ages. But theres one word that has become the bane of medievalists everywhere. Use it in discussing medieval life and society, and the average medieval historian will screw up his face in revulsion. There might be some sighs, some head shaking, and perhaps even some hands thrown in the air. What is this word that has the power to annoy, disgust, and even upset the ordinarily cool and collected medievalist? Feudalism. Every student of the Middle Ages is at least somewhat familiar with feudalism. The term is usually defined as follows: Feudalism was the dominant form of political organization in medieval Europe. It was a hierarchical system of social relationships wherein a noble lord granted land known as a fief to a free man, who in turn swore fealty to the lord as his vassal and agreed to provide military and other services. A vassal could also be a lord, granting portions of the land he held to other free vassals; this was known as subinfeudation, and often led all the way up to the king. The land granted to each vassal was inhabited by serfs who worked the land for him, providing him with income to support his military endeavors; in turn, the vassal would protect the serfs from attack and invasion. Of course, this is an extremely simplified definition, and there are many exceptions and caveats that go along with this model of medieval society, but the same could be said of any model applied to a historical period. Generally, it is fair to say that this is the explanation for feudalism youll find in most history textbooks of the 20th century, and it is very close to every dictionary definition available. The problem? Virtually none of it is accurate. Feudalism  was  not the dominant form of political organization in medieval Europe. There was no hierarchical system of lords and vassals engaged in a structured agreement to provide military defense. There was no subinfeudation leading up to the king. The arrangement whereby serfs worked the land for a lord in return for protection, known as manorialism or seignorialism, was not part of a feudal system. Monarchies of the early Middle Ages may have had their challenges and their weaknesses, but kings did not use feudalism to exert control over their subjects, and the feudal relationship was not the glue that held medieval society together. In short, feudalism as described above never existed in Medieval Europe. We know what youre thinking. For decades, even centuries, feudalism has characterized our view of medieval society. If it never existed, then why did so many historians say it did for so long? Werent there entire books written on the subject? Who has the authority to say that all those historians were wrong? And if the current consensus among the experts in medieval history is to reject feudalism, why is it still presented as reality in nearly every medieval history textbook? The best way to answer these questions is to engage in a little historiography. Lets begin with a look at the origin and evolution of the term feudalism. A Post-Medieval What, Now? The first thing to understand about the word feudalism is that it was never used during the Middle Ages. The term was invented by 16th- and 17th-century scholars to describe a political system of several hundred years earlier. This makes feudalism a post-medieval construct. Theres nothing inherently wrong with constructs. They help us understand alien ideas in terms more familiar to our modern thought processes. The phrases Middle Ages and medieval are constructs, themselves. (After all, medieval people didnt think of themselves as living in a middle age they thought they were living in the now, just like we do.) Medievalists may not like the way the term medieval is used as an insult, or how absurd myths of past customs and behavior are commonly attributed to the Middle Ages, but most are confident that the use of middle ages and medieval to describe the era as in between the ancient and early modern eras is satisfactory, however fluid the definition of all three time frames may be. But medieval has a fairly clear meaning based on a specific, easily-defined viewpoint. Feudalism cannot be said to have the same. In 16th  century France,  Humanist  scholars grappled with the history of Roman law and its authority in their own land. They examined, in depth, a substantial collection of Roman law books. Among these books was something called the  Libri Feudorum- the Book of Fiefs. The  Libri Feudorum  was a compilation of legal texts concerning the proper disposition of fiefs, which were defined in these documents as lands held by people referred to as vassals. The work had been put together in Lombardy, northern Italy, in the 1100s, and over the course of the intervening centuries, many lawyers and other scholars had commented on it and added definitions and interpretations, or  glosses.  The  Libri Feudorum  is an extraordinarily significant work that, to this day, has been barely studied since the 16th-century French lawyers gave it a good look. In the course of their evaluation of the Book of Fiefs, the scholars made some fairly reasonable assumptions: That the fiefs under discussion in the texts were pretty much the same as the fiefs of 16th-century France- that is, lands belonging to nobles.That the  Libri Feudorum  was addressing actual legal practices of the 11th century and not simply expounding on an academic concept.That the explanation of the origins of fiefs contained in the  Libri Feudorum- that is, that grants were initially made for as long as the  lord  chose, but were later extended to the grantees lifetime and  afterward  made hereditary- was a reliable history and not mere conjecture. The assumptions may have been reasonable- but were they correct? The French scholars had every reason to believe they were, and no real reason to dig any deeper. After all, they werent so much interested in the historical  facts of the time period as they were in the legal questions addressed in the  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Libri Feudorum.  Their foremost consideration was whether or not the laws even had any authority in France- and, ultimately, the French lawyers rejected the authority of the Lombard Book of Fiefs. However, during the course of their investigations, and based in part on the assumptions outlined above, the scholars who studied the  Libri Feudorum  formulated a view of the Middle Ages. This general picture included the idea that feudal relationships, wherein noblemen granted fiefs to free vassals in return for services, were important in medieval society because they provided social and military security at a time when  the central  government was weak or nonexistent. The idea was discussed in editions of the  Libri Feudorum  made by the legal scholars Jacques Cujas and Franà §ois Hotman, both of whom used the term  feudum  to indicate an arrangement involving a  fief. It didnt take long for other scholars to see some value in the works of Cujas and Hotman and apply the ideas to their own studies. Before the 16th century was over, two Scottish lawyers- Thomas Craig and Thomas Smith- were using feudum in their classifications of Scottish  lands and their tenure. It was apparently Craig who first expressed the idea of feudal arrangements as a hierarchical  system;  moreover, it was  a  system that was imposed on nobles and their subordinates by their monarch as a matter of policy.  In the 17th century,  Henry Spelman, a noted English antiquarian, adopted this viewpoint for English legal history, as well. Although Spelman never used the word feudalism, either, his work went a long way toward creating an -ism from the handful of ideas over which Cujas and Hotman had theorized. Not only did Spelman maintain, as Craig had done, that feudal arrangements were part of a system, but he related the English feudal heritage with that of Europe, indicating that feudal arrangements were characteristic of medieval society as a whole. Spelman wrote with authority, and his hypothesis was happily accepted as fact by scholars who saw it as a sensible explanation of medieval social and property relations. Over the next several decades, scholars explored and debated feudal ideas. They expanded the meaning of the term from legal matters and adapted it to other aspects of medieval society. They argued over the origins of feudal arrangements and expounded on the various levels of  subinfeudation. They incorporated manorialism and applied it to the agricultural economy. They envisioned a complete system of feudal agreements that ran throughout all of Britain and Europe. What they did  not  do was challenge Craigs or Spelmans interpretation of the works of Cujas and Hotman, nor did they question the conclusions that Cujas and Hotman had drawn from the  Libri Feudorum. From the vantage point of the 21st century, its easy to ask why the facts were overlooked in favor of the theory. Present-day historians  engage in  a rigorous  examination of the evidence and clearly identify a theory as a theory (at least, the good ones do). Why didnt 16th- and 17th-century scholars do the same? The simple answer is that history as a scholarly field has evolved over time; and in the 17th century, the academic discipline of  historical  evaluation was in its infancy. Historians did not yet have the tools- both physical and figurative- we take for granted today, nor did they have the example of scientific methods from other fields to look to and incorporate into their own learning processes. Besides, having a straightforward model by which to view the Middle Ages gave scholars the sense that they understood the time period. Medieval society becomes so much easier to evaluate and comprehend if it can be labeled and fit into a simple organizational structure. By the end of the 18th century, the term feudal system was in use among historians, and by the middle of the 19th century, feudalism had become a fairly well-fleshed out model, or construct, of medieval government and society. The idea spread beyond the cloistered halls of academia. Feudalism became a buzzword for any oppressive, backward, hidebound system of government. In the  French Revolution, the feudal regime was abolished by the  National Assembly, and in Karl Marxs  Communist Manifesto,  feudalism was the oppressive, agrarian-based economic system that preceded the inequitable, industrialized, capitalist economy. With such far-ranging appearances in both academic and mainstream usage, it would be an extraordinary challenge to break free of what was, essentially, a wrong impression. In the late 19th century, the field of medieval studies began to evolve into a serious discipline. No longer did the average historian accept as fact everything that had been written by his predecessors and repeat it as a matter of course. Scholars of the medieval era began to question interpretations of the evidence, and they began to question the evidence, as well. This was by no means a swift process. The medieval era was still the bastard child of historical study; a dark age of ignorance, superstition, and  brutality; a thousand years without a bath.  Medieval historians had a great deal of prejudice, fanciful inventions and misinformation to overcome, and there was no concerted effort to shake things up and reexamine every theory ever floated in the study of the Middle Ages. And feudalism had become so entrenched in our view of the time period, it wasnt an obvious choice of target to overturn. Even once historians began to recognize the system as a post-medieval construct, the validity of the construct wasnt questioned. As early as 1887,  F. W. Maitland  observed in a lecture on English constitutional history that we do not hear of a feudal system until feudalism ceased to exist.  He examined in detail what feudalism supposedly was and discussed how it could be applied to English medieval law, but never did he question its very existence. Maitland was a well-respected scholar, and much of his work is still enlightening and useful today. If such an esteemed historian treated feudalism as a legitimate system of law and government, why should anyone think to question him? For a long time, nobody did. Most medievalists continued in Maitlands vein, acknowledging that the word was a construct, and an imperfect one at that, yet going forward with articles, lectures, treatises and entire books on what exactly feudalism had been; or, at the very least, incorporating it into related topics as an accepted fact of the medieval era. Each historian presented his own interpretation of the model- even those claiming to adhere to a previous interpretation deviated from it in some significant way. The result was an unfortunate number of varying and even conflicting definitions of feudalism. As the 20th century progressed, the discipline of history grew more rigorous. Scholars uncovered new evidence, examined it closely, and used it to modify or explain their view of feudalism. Their methods were sound, as far as they went, but their premise was problematic: they were trying to  adapt  a deeply flawed theory to such a wide variety of facts. Although several historians  expressed concerns over the indefinite nature of the well-worn model and the terms many imprecise meanings, it wasnt until 1974 that anyone thought to stand up and point out the most basic, fundamental problems with feudalism. In a ground-breaking article entitled The Tyranny of a Construct: Feudalism and Historians of Medieval Europe,  Elizabeth A. R. Brown  leveled an unwavering finger at the academic community and roundly denounced the term feudalism and its continued use. Clearly,  feudalism was a construct that was developed  after  the Middle Ages, Brown maintained, and the system it described bore little resemblance to actual medieval society. Its many differing, even contradictory definitions had so muddied the waters that it had lost any useful meaning. The construct was actually interfering with the proper examination of evidence concerning medieval law and society; scholars viewed land agreements and social relationships through the warped lens of the feudalism construct, and either disregarded or dismissed anything that didnt fit into their chosen version of the model. Brown asserted  that  considering how difficult it is to unlearn what one has learned, to continue to include feudalism in introductory texts would do readers of those texts a grave injustice. Browns article was very well-received in academic circles. Virtually no American or British medievalists objected to any part of it, and almost everyone who read it agreed: Feudalism was not a useful term, and really should go. Yet, feudalism stuck around. There were improvements. Some new publications in medieval studies avoided using the term altogether; others used it only  sparingly,  and focused on actual laws, land tenures, and legal agreements instead of on the model. Some books on medieval society refrained from characterizing that society as feudal. Others, while acknowledging that the term was in dispute, continued to use it as a useful shorthand for lack of a better term, but only as far as it was necessary. But there were still authors that included descriptions of feudalism as a valid model of medieval society with little or no caveat. Why? For one thing, not  every  medievalist had read Browns  article,  or had a chance to consider its implications or discuss it with his colleagues. For another, revising work that had been conducted on the premise that feudalism was a valid construct would require the kind of reassessment that few historians were prepared to engage in, especially when deadlines were drawing near. Perhaps most significantly, no one had presented a reasonable model or explanation to use in place of feudalism. Some historians and authors felt they had to provide their readers with a handle by which to grasp the general ideas of medieval government and society. If not feudalism, then what? Yes, the emperor had no clothes; but for now, he would just have to run around naked.

Performance Review Memo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Performance Review Memo - Essay Example The different writing styles are now deeply entrenched in my writing and can be selected interchangeably depending on various course requirements. For example, most of the assignments given required that we use either APA or MLA referencing styles. Moreover, the course has helped in the acquisition and improvement of such skills as teamwork that would have otherwise not been learned. The group work helped in learning how to collaborate with other members in achieving a certain goal. The nature of the work, for instance, allowed us to divide the various aspects amongst ourselves and later compiled the work together. Group members were given the liberty to choose the areas that they felt adeptly knowledgeable therefore making the quality of the work better. In addition, and most importantly, the course has improved the ability to develop good research questions and strategies for meeting the research objectives. This ability was enhanced by the step-by-step approach employed by the lecturer. To help in the effective functioning of the group, we broke down the assignment into four parts one for each of us. Delegation of duties is one role that we highly appreciated in a bid to hasten the process of research. All the group members were helpful in achieving the set objectives. Most importantly, each of us selected the areas of the assignment that we were most conversant with. I contributed highly in the area of consumer education as a response to reducing theft of beauty products at the fresh market. Ali’s contribution in the group was most visible in the aspect of employee education as an effective tool of reducing theft of beauty products at the Fresh Market. This is an area that he is well versed in and most of his points came from real experience coupled with supporting literature review. Sara’s contribution was as important as everyone else’s and she did her job

Organizational error that caused the failure of the space shuttle Essay - 1

Organizational error that caused the failure of the space shuttle Challenger launch - Essay Example Vaughan argues that NASA managers did not break any rules unlike reported before rather abided by them a bit too strictly. She has pointed out that rather it were the rules that kept on getting more and more accommodative each time a mission was accomplished successfully. Thus rules expanded like a rubber band, enclosing more and more dangers which previously turned out to be false assumptions. It was NASA’s culture where something which has worked once was assumed to work every time. O-ring seals were not a new problem but the previous successful launches prepared the managers’ mind that it is an acceptable risk. She argues that rather than developing new paradigms for unexpected consequences, people change the paradigms to accommodate the consequence or discard them at all. According to her, the same happened in the case of O-ring erosion where the risk level was reduced as the risk did not turn out to be as grave as previously thought. However the reduction in gravit y did not mean that the risk cannot become grave once coupled with some other risks. The O-ring erosion, sub-optimal temperatures & unexpected wind shears, all risks were expected to be less than grave, in the original paradigms but people failed to develop new paradigm for the combination. She has agreed that Challenger’s Disaster was a normal accident (p. 415) & normal accident always happen because of failure to develop new paradigms in extremely complex organization.

Racial Sensitivity in the Modern World Literature review - 4

Racial Sensitivity in the Modern World - Literature review Example In the research, individuals were asked to maintain their head below water and were promised that the longer they stayed under water, the more money their relatives would get. This was repeated with relatives of differing closeness such as brother, cousin, second cousin etc. The study found that the participants were naturally able to stay longer when doing it for those who were genetically close to them. The results of the study indicated why people are more likely to like those of their own race and distance themselves from those of other races or ethnic backgrounds. While it is not entirely clear whether race is a matter of genetics, it is obvious that people of the same race are more genetically related than those who are from different races. This difference in the race has brought many issues in the past to the point of warranting people to have better racial relations. Racial sensitivity is as a result of the conflict between the natural instinct that drives people to like the ir own race and place those of their own race before everyone else, and the rational part of the brain that tells one that that is no good. As civilized beings, humans are rational enough to know that they should not hate each other based on race, but still have to deal with an irrational, instinctive part within them that says otherwise. This indicates why there is so much racial sensitive in the social arena. At the same time, as a result of many years of activism, racial sensitivity has become very common especially in public life. Racial sensitivity can be seen in everything that people do. For instance, in most Hollywood movies, there is always a black man who in most cases is depicted as having some special abilities. This need to include only one person of the African American ethnic background and making him seem to have some special abilities can be seen as racial sensitive by the producers of the movie. For insane, in the movie Predators, the only black man in the movie wa s the only one who was able to detect the almost invincible predator. At the same time, he was the first character to die in the movie.     

The End Justifies The Means Philosophy Essay

The End Justifies The Means Philosophy Essay One of the major political thinkers known to us is Niccolo Machiavelli. He is well known for the phrase the end justifies the means which is continually being the subject of discussions and discourses today (Adams and Dyson). With Machiavellis principles, we are now faced with the issue whether the desired ends is justified by the means used to achieve them. The issue will be explored in the light of Niccolo Machiavellis The Qualities of the Prince and Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail to ascertain the meaning of the phrase the end justifies the means. It cannot be denied that there are implications and difficulties when unworthy means are used to achieve worthy ends. However, one thing is sure: if an end or goal is worthy, any mean to achieve that end is justifiable provided that both ends and means are noble and good. The question whether the end justifies the means depends on the type of goal or end a person wants to achieve and the means they use. If both the means and the ends are equally noble and good, there is no question because the ends are justified by the means. This is the stand I have chosen to take. Although there are different views about the meaning of Machiavellis expression, I agree with the belief that both the ends and means should be good. Individuals are known at times to use Machiavellis phrase or expression as an excuse when they try to achieve their own goals no matter how immoral, illicit, and wrong their means are. For many individuals, it does not matter what means are used long as they get what they want. To justify their ends by some type of means sometimes involves doing a wrong thing when trying to achieve a positive end. They justify the wrong act by pointing to the outcome that was good. The wrong justification can be seen in some horrors in human history such as t he Holocaust, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagaski, the World Wars, and even the bombing of the World Trade Center. There are a lot of justifications made by many people about the ends these events serve, but one thing is true, the ends are noble but the means are not. To compare the two in what is considered wrong and morally right, one example is an individual lying about their qualifications on their resume when trying to get a good job. This individual would later justify the lying by saying that it is a means to receive a larger income to provide for his or her family more effectively. Another example would be justifying an abortion to save the mothers life. These two examples create a dilemma between what is done and what ought to be done. Machiavelli states, Because how one lives is so far distant from one ought to live, that he who neglects what is done for what ought to be done, sooner effects his ruin than his preservation; for a man who wishes to act entirely up to his professions of virtue soon meets with what destroys him among so much that is evil (Machiavelli, The Prince Ch. 15). Considering these two examples, the lying and taking of an innocent life can be viewed as both equally wrong. On the other hand, the end which is providing for ones own family and the saving of a womans life are both morally right. However, one must learn to distinguish what should be done in order to avoid the consequences of what is done. What if the individual lying about his or her resume was not given the job because he lied? What if the baby aborted has the cure for cancer in his or her mind? The wrong means used can lead to ruin rather than good. It cannot be denied that we all have taken part of the end justifies the means debate at some point in our lives. Means used must also be ethical, social, and morally upright. Therefore, if one mean in itself is morally bad, it cannot really serve an end that is good, even though it would appear good on the surface. A goal or purpose achieved through an upright approach is the thing justified, not those immoral, illicit, and wrong. One significant proof of a justified means to an end is exemplified in the nonviolent demonstration against segregation fought for by Martin Luther King Jr. There are a lot of ways for the African Americans back then to achieve equality and freedom in American society. They can bomb the White House. They can coerce the government through unlawful means and other immoral and wrong acts you can imagine. However, Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers chose to gain freedom through a peaceful means. Here, we can see that both the means and the ends are noble and good. His famous writing Letter from Birmingham Jail laid down the agenda of their non-violent campaign. In his letter, Martin Luther King Jr. showed that the unjust treatment of Negroes and their segregation can be solved through peaceful means. A non-violent campaign however can produce tension but it is up to the protestors to handle the tension. In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, King says, Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shock-ing. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word tension. I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth (Jr. 216). Martin Luther King Jr. died as a result of the demonstrations he started but the ends are met. His belief was opposed by the Whites during that time. The Whites also uphold the idea that the end justifies the means. They say that what they do to the Negroes is done because of self-preservation. The government during that time works to preserve the State so they acted on what to be done: give the African Americans what they want. The death of Martin Luther King Jr. proved that both the ends and means may be noble, that it can be justified. Martin Luther King Jr. is an example to be followed when applying the phrase the end justifies the means. As stated by Thayer, Be strong is therefore the first and last commandment for nations and princes to observe; and Machiavelli instructs them how to use their strength (Thayer 476). In this case, Martin Luther King Jr. knew what means to use for his desired end. No one can use bad means for any good end. In saying this, it can be compared to a person trying to build a good house from bad materials it does not work. The phrase the end justifies the means can fool us all if we do not look closely to what it says. What we fail to see in this statement is the end itself. Is it really good? We all fail to see and carefully examine the means and how they affect the ends. There are a lot of difficulties and complications when unworthy means are used to achieve worthy ends. An example would be the Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime (Gilbert 32). Is this end worthy after all the events that happened? Another example would be the two World Wars. Are the ends of such brutal means necessary? These complications are frequently seen in wartime situations and the political field. Governments do not care whatever means they employ just to win. They just think about victory although it means losing many lives, property, and even more morale. In these two situations, the only judgment is success and any means that would contribute to success is thought to be justified, but not by everyone. Any success can be used as the standard by which we all measure the benefit of the means. However, some benefits are superficial and do not last long. The misuse of the phrase the end justifies the means contradicts Machiavellis main point that a prince ought to think about future events and prepare for potential problems. If a person really thinks in a Machiavellian perspective, he or she would use necessary means to achieve an end to avoid future complications (Machiavelli, The Prince Ch. 14). People who pursue their dreams and their goals are more likely to take a path that is filled with obstacles. It is known that goals are achieved through very hard work. The means to attain such goals are different from the goals itself. One thing should be remembered though; both means and ends must be noble and good. What I have shown is that the ends or goals of any individual can always be justified by the means used to achieve it if only they are worthy enough. As Machiavelli points out, But to exercise the intellect the prince should read histories, and study there the actions of illustrious men, to see how they have borne themselves in war, to examine the causes of their victories and defeat, so as to avoid the latter and imitate the former (The Prince Ch. 14). There are a lot of horrific examples in justifying immoral, illicit, and wrong means but Machiavelli teaches us to learn from past experiences to achieve ends through noble and good means. In conclusion, we are all but humans who err most of the time. The values that we have as humans are what make us humans. Any means we use which violates our perception of morals and righteousness can never justify the end or the goals no matter how worthy they may seem to be. As seen in the Martin Luther King Jr. example, there are in fact a thousand ways to achieve one single end and it is up to you whether to use the noble means or the wrong means.

Egyptian Mummification: It’s History, Purpose, and Process Essays

Egyptian Mummification: It’s History, Purpose, and Process The history and tradition of Egypt is one of the most greatly studied and admired of all past world civilizations. The lure of the pyramids and the specter of the sphinx have led many archeologists to dedicate his/her life to unraveling the mysteries of ancient Egyptian culture. Arguably, the most captivating aspect of Egypt’s past is that of mummification. Why did the Egyptians mummify their dead? What beliefs did the Egyptians have regarding the after life? What portion of the Egyptian civilization was mummified? What was the Book of the Dead? This is a mere sampling of the questions that come to my mind when I think of ancient Egyptian culture. I hope to lay forth answers to these questions and many more in the following pages dedicated to the history and purpose behind Egyptian mummification. Mummification, with its long, storied history, has allowed archeologists to peer into the daily lives and beliefs of ancient Egyptian middle-class and royalty. The practice of mummification by the Egyptians seems to have started sometime before 3100 BC. However, lack of written evidence or significant physical proof from this Predynastic period is available to either confirm or deny this. One of the oldest surviving mummies is Ginger, currently stored at the British Museum. Ginger was buried in a shallow grave and wrapped only in light cloth but due to the hot, dry desert he survived intact to discovery in the late 19th century (Andrews 5). Ginger’s name comes from the color of his hair, fragments of which are still attached to his body. Evidence from his discovery supports the belief that even at this early age the Egyptians believed in the afterlife. Tools and pottery we... ...ould be very thankful to the Egyptian people for leaving us this gift, which paints for us such a clear picture of their legacy. Works Cited Aldred, Cyril. The Egyptians. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc., 1984. Andrews, Carol. Egyptian Mummies. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1984. Budge, E.A. Wallis. The Mummy: A Handbook of Egyptian Funerary Archaeology. 2nd ed. Cambridge: University Press, 1925. Casson, Lionel. Ancient Egypt. New York: Time Incorporated, 1965. Editors of Time-Life Books. Egypt: Land of the Pharaohs. Alexandria: Time-Life Books, 1992. El Mahdy, Christine. Mummies: Myth and Magic. New York: Thames and Hudson Inc., 1989. Montet, Pierre. Eternal Egypt. New York: The New American Library of World Literature, Inc., 1964. Peck, William H. Splendors of Ancient Egypt. Ann Arbor: University Lithoprinters, Inc.,1997.