McDonalds and Its Critics 1973

Introduction Marketing entails offering quality products at reasonable prices. The research focuses on the marketing strategy of McDonald’s Company and its critics. The research includes the history of McDonald’s Company from its humble birth in California to its current worldwide acceptance as the best seller in the food and beverage market segment.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on McDonald’s and It’s Critics: 1973- 2009 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Specifically, the research includes a SWOT analysis. The research ends with a recommendation as to what McDonald’s should venture into in the years to come. McDonald’s implements textbook-based marketing strategies to catapult it to its present stature in the restaurant, food, and beverage world. History Gilbert Sara (4) emphasized McDonald’s was founded by Ray Kroc. Dick and Mac McDonald’s had ope ned its McDonald’s Restaurant on 14th and E streets in San Bernardino state, California in 1940. The original store included a drive-in environment with a corresponding large menu and car hop services. In 1949, Dick and Mac had reduced their menu. The new menu item list included hamburger, cheeseburger, soft drinks, coffee, milk, potato chips, and pie. The most popular menu during this time period is the 15c hamburger. In 1954, Ray Kroc accidentally enters the McDonald’s scene by selling a multimixer product to both Dick and Mac McDonald’s. Ray Kroc learns that both owners of McDonald’s were interested to set up franchises of their McDonald’s restaurant in many cities across the United States. Ray Kroc decides to enter the McDonald’s franchising business. Consequently, Ray Kroc opens his first McDonald’s store in Des Moines Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955. Stanley Meston created the Golden Arches logo of McDonald’s. The com pany’s first day sale catapulted to $366. This was a large sum of money when comparing the value of $366 during that time period and today’s $366 value. The cost of food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities were cheaper back then compared to the prices of food, clothing, shelter, and other necessities of today, April 20, 2011. In 1965, the company was able to franchise 700 McDonald’s restaurants across the United States. The new recipes included the â€Å"Big Mac† which was introduced to the public in 1968 and the replacement of potato chips with French fries. McDonald’s celebrates its 25 years of business operations. In addition, the company reached its 50th anniversary in 2005. In 2008, McDonald’s came up with a global design of the company’s products. SWOT Analysis Strengths {internal} Anja Bohm (12) opined McDonald’s company has its strengths. First, the company has distinctive competencies. The competencies include it s strategic advantages. Competencies include low prices, high quality goods, excellent service and.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Second, the company gains a competitive advantage, people will enthusiastically flock to a new McDonald’s branch because the McDonalds name is a name that can be trusted and admired. Third, the company has a strong marketing strategy. The company spends lots of money for advertising the different McDonalds products in the television, radio, and newspapers. Fourth, the company has strength in research and development. The company continues to experiment with new ingredients and menu to pamper the current and future McDonalds clients. Fifth, the company has strengths in human resource management. The crew are well trained to serve each client the same high quality way; serving the same high quality products at low prices. Sixth, the company has strengths in information system. Clients and log on to the online McDonald’s website and make an order for hamburgers, French fries and the like. Seventh, the company has strengths in infrastructure. The company sets up the standard McDonald’s restaurant format. The people from different countries have grown to love the same store fast food style infrastructure, especially the busy working person. Anja Bohm (12) reiterated the McDonald’s Company has its strengths. The strengths represent the McDonald’s development and growth of the company over time which is identified as the company’s â€Å"competitive advantage† and â€Å"distinctive competency† that is responsible for the company’s growth to be one of the top restaurants, food, and beverage companies of the world. The company has the most critical components of a company’s financial resources. The company’s high revenues allow the company to hav e ready cash on hand to pay for its maturing obligations as well as daily operating expenses. There are other strengths not discussed above. First, the McDonald’s Company has distinctive competencies that include a strong worldwide presence. The company is recognized the leader in the fast food chain market segment around the world, especially within the United States. Everyone within the United States and major cities around the world has come across the name McDonald’s. People from all walks of life have visited a McDonald’s store. Everyone will comfortable that they can easily munch the same McDonald’s quality and taste whether one is in Los Angeles, California, Upstate New York, Virginia, London, China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, India, and other countries.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on McDonald’s and It’s Critics: 1973- 2009 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Second, the McDonald’s Company has under its worldwide fast food market segment more than 30,995 restaurants. The restaurants are strategically located in many places around the world. More importantly, more than 13,998 of the McDonald’s Company’s own stores are strategically located in many major cities within the local United States territory. The establishment of the McDonald’s Company restaurants in different parts of the world indicates that there is strong demand for the McDonald’s Company’s products and services. The increase in the number of McDonald’s Company restaurants around the world proves that there is a strong demand for McDonald’s Company products and services. Third, the McDonald’s Company introduces the important economies of scale principles in assigning costs and prices on its McDonald’s products. With the implementation of the economies of scale principle, the company continue s to lessen its restaurant operating costs to more realizable levels. Specifically, the implementation of the scale greatly lessens the expenses of its overall charting of new paths into uncharted fast food market segments around the world. The economies of scale theory states that some countries are composed of a majority of poor people. The economies of scale theory states that some countries are composed of a majority of poor people. The economies of scale theory states that some countries are composed of a majority of very rich people. The economies of scale theory states that some countries are composed of a majority of average income people. McDonald’s offers it products at low prices. The company targets the general masses of the community. Since there are poorer and average income people in the community compared to the community of rich and very rich persons, McDonald’s targets the average income and low income groups of people. The company is satisfied to gen erate a small income because there will be more clients visiting the McDonald’s stores compared to restaurants and food and beverages stores that offer its food and service products at very high prices. Fourth, the McDonald’s Company maintains a string of children’s charities around many of its branches around the world. The name of the charity is The Ronald McDonald House. The McDonald’s Company spends lots of cash to feed the children entering its charity outlets. By engaging in children’s charities the image of the McDonald’s Company will improve in the eyes of the current and future customers. The amount allocated for the care of the childrenAdvertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fifth, the McDonald’s Company focuses on the clients’ health and overall well-being. The company only uses ingredients that have passed its strict high standards. The McDonald’s Company complies with all the policies of the United States Department of Agriculture in terms of healthiness of the food ingredients and the food itself. The company ensures that ingredients used in the production of goods and services are not spoiled or expired. The use of expired or spoiled food ingredients may cause the customers to suffer from food poisoning. Consequently, the customers can file a case in court for the food poisoning incidents. Such cases will cause a huge dent the image of the McDonald’s Company. The company goes out of its way to protect its image. A damaged image will translate to a decline in the demand for the company’s products and services. A decline in the demand for the company’s products and services will cause a drop in the companyâ⠂¬â„¢s revenues. A reduction in the company’s revenues will translate to a reduction in the company’s net profits. Sixth, Anja Bohm (12) reiterated the McDonald’s Company invests in properties around the world and offers franchises. The establishment of McDonald’s Company restaurants around the world shows that many investors believe that the infusion of their hard-earned cash into the McDonald’s Company will be a profitable decision. The spread of McDonald’s Company restaurants indicate the investors are comfortable with their capital investment decision to have one or more franchises of the McDonald’s Company restaurant. Seventh, the McDonald’s Company has a long list of real estate portfolios. The company is willing and able to purchase properties in different countries around the world. The purchase of such properties would be useful in terms of improving the company’s balance sheet presentation. The investors would be happy to see that the McDonald’s Company’s properties have increased through the years. An increase in the McDonald’s Company’s properties shows there is also an increase in the company’s stockholders’ equity accounts. Eight, the McDonald’s Company has patents over very popular food items. The food items include Big Mc, Chicken McNuggets. Patents are defined as the government’s right given to an inventor or new product developer to craft the McDonald’s Company products. The copyright prevents the competitors and new entrants to the restaurant, food, and beverage competitors to produce the same products or even use the same product name such as â€Å"Big Mac†. Ninth, the McDonald’s Company has one of the world’s most recognized logos. The Company’s logo is a huge â€Å"M† sign. Any person seeing the â€Å"M† logo can easily state that it means a McDonald’s restaurant is located nearby where the â€Å"M† sign can be easily seen from afar. Tenth, the McDonald’s Company focuses its unwavering attention on its corporate social responsibility. The company implements community-caring programs. The programs are aimed at giving back to the community what the community has given to each McDonald’s restaurant located in major cities around the world in terms of food and beverage revenues. Eleventh, the McDonald’s Company incorporates the local culture in all its branches in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world. The McDonald’s Company hires the local residents to manage each McDonald’s restaurant. With the locally-hired McDonald’s employees, the company can be classified as a diversity-based company. The Chinese employees bring a touch of the local Chinese culture to the McDonald’s China branches. Likewise, the Korean employees bring a touch of the local Korean culture to McDonald’s Korean branches. The United Kingdom employees bring a touch of the local United Kingdom culture to the McDonald’s United Kingdom branches. Twelfth, the McDonald’s Company is strategically located in major airports, cities, highways, tourist attractions, and parks. Consequently, the large number of people passing through each McDonald’s branch easily accepts the sumptuous menu items displayed in each McDonald’s establishment. Weaknesses {internal} Mike Meldrum (27) reiterated the McDonald’s Company has its weaknesses. First, the McDonald’s Company uses advertising strategies focused on inviting the children to visit the nearest McDonald’s restaurant. Second, the McDonald’s Company implements a low pricing strategy to capture the competitors’ current clients. Clients would easily transfer their preference to McDonald’s products because the prices of their food items are low. Consequently, the comp etitors are forced to reduce their prices to levels matching or even nearing the McDonald’s food pricing levels. Third, the McDonald’s Company lacks the penchant to innovate its products. The company continues to sell the same old McDonald’s products. The products include hamburgers, French fries, coffee, chocolate, beverage, Big Mac, and others. The people will generally prefer a change in the food menu to avoid boredom. Opportunities {the external environment surrounding the company} Mike Meldrum (27) theorized the company’s superior performance is the result of a successful fit between strategy and the environment. The community needs low priced food to fill their hunger fangs. In response, McDonalds creates high quality products to fill the community’s needs, wants, and caprices. In addition, the company’s main technique is to analyze the competitors. The McDonalds Company does not fear the entry of new competitors because it is difficul t to outmatch the McDonalds Company’s established high quality products sold at low prices. The suppliers are willing to supply McDonalds with highest quality ingredients and other company needs at reasonable prices. The McDonalds Company does not fear product substitution because the substitutes are sold at higher prices; the clients will prefer lower priced goods and services. Realistically other traditional restaurant competitors offer their products higher prices than McDonalds. Nadine Pahl (73) proposed The McDonald’s Company has its set of opportunities. First, the McDonald’s Company can effortlessly adapt to the food needs of the community where the company has established its strategically located branches. The company can introduce products that are very popular in the competitors’ restaurants. For example, the China branch of McDonald’s can introduce the popular food menus being sold to the competing Chinese restaurants or food outlets. S econd, Mike Meldrum (27) theorized the McDonald’s Company can introduce new marketing strategies to increase its revenues. The company can set up websites in each city, community, or state. With the McDonald’s website, the clients can easily order a hamburger or coffee with just the click of the mouse. In addition, the company can distribute leaflets or promotional brochures to communities indicating the cell phone text numbers. The clients can easily order a McDonald’s Big Mac just by sending a cell phone text message to the local community’s McDonald’s branch. Threats {the external environment surrounding the company} In terms of threats, Mike Meldrum (27) insists the company can easily hurdle the encroaching new competitors because the new entrants cannot easily win the away the established client base of the McDonalds brand. Further, the supplier threats can easily be resolved by contacting other suppliers to offer reasonably priced ingredients and other products. Likewise, the threat of substitute products can be easily answered by offering different product choices within the McDonald’s restaurant. For example, the Starbucks coffee is price three times higher than a cup of McDonald’s coffee. Economics tells us the as prices go up, the demand for the products decreases. Thus, McDonald’s will always better alternative compared to Starbucks coffee because there are more middle income and low income people than rich people. The restaurant and food industry is composed of strategic groups. McDonald’s countless branches around the world are one strategic group that constantly wins most of the current and prospective client’s food preference. The members of McDonald’s Company’s strategic group can easily resolve its immediate competitor situation. The company has been successful in implementing one universal marketing strategy to capture the new clients and communities food pref erences. Currently, the company is at its maturity stage in the product life cycle environment. The people from around the world have accepted McDonald’s as a mature company that serves their quality food needs at low prices for more than 50 years. Likewise, the macroeconomic environment, political environment, global environment, legal environment and social environment continues to be very favorable to the setting up of a new McDonald’s branch as well as the continued profitability of each currently established McDonald’s brand. The McDonald’s Company has to contend with its threats. First, the McDonald’s Company has to overcome the current economic depression or recession. The recession covers much of the United States and Europe. The recession has reduced the current clients’ penchant to spend quality time gobbling a McDonald’s hamburger or sipping coffee while reading the newspaper’s headline stories. Second, the McDonaldà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Company has to resolve the currency exchange rate fluctuations. The McDonald’s Company will be happy if the currency exchange rate between the United States dollar and the Chinese currency, Yuan, will remain on the same level. A change in the currency exchange rate between the two currencies may spell an increase in revenues and profits or a decrease in revenues and profits. Third, many of the competitors are coming up with new food items that can rival the taste, price, and quality of the McDonald’s products. Many local restaurants can easily implement new marketing strategies to please the ever-changing needs, wants, and caprices of its current and future food customers. On the other hand, the McDonald’s Company continues to steadfastly hold on to its popular brands throughout the years. Fourth, the McDonald’s Company has to finally settle the health issues relating to the company’s food products. Everyone knows that eating too much hamb urger is hazardous to a person’s health. Too much indulgence in the McDonald’s products may trigger hypertension, diabetes, and other ailments, especially for the â€Å"older† generation of restaurant clients. Fourth, the McDonald’s Company focuses a major part of its capital investment on advertising. People often see McDonald’s advertisements in television shows. Likewise, McDonald’s advertisements are found in newspapers. In addition, McDonald’s advertisements are found in radio stories. Fifth, many of the parents detest the McDonald’s Company’s marketing strategy. The strategy focuses on enticing the children to visit the nearest McDonald’s restaurant. The children are easy prey to the continuous advertising of the McDonald’s products and services. Consequently, the growing child will bring the McDonald’s food craze into their adulthood and elderly stages of life. Sixth, the McDonald’s Com pany has been sued in courts for the effects of the unhealthy McDonald’s products on the health of its current and future restaurant customers. The lawsuits include charges that the food items are injected with addictive additives. The additives will create a craving among the current and future McDonald’s Company clients to return back to the nearest McDonald’s fast food restaurant to buy another set of McDonald’s addictive products to satisfying their addiction to the McDonald’s food items. Seventh, major competitors are slowly, but surely, creeping into McDonald’s market segment and literally grabbing major markets. The popular Starbucks coffee is gaining a continuing increase in coffee lovers. Likewise, Burger King has been able increase its food and beverage market share by chopping away and pirating many of the clients of McDonald’s. In addition, Wendy’s has successfully increased the number of its worldwide branches. The increase in Wendy’s branches translates a decline in the McDonald’s clients. Eight, the McDonald’s Company’s setting up of new branches in other countries has been unfavorable in many instances. Some countries have slow economies which translate to slow sales. Slow sales statistical figures translate to slow profits. On the other hand, a fast economy translates to fast revenue generating activity. It is common knowledge that some countries have slow economies while other countries have fast economies. Consequently, a fast economy will generate more revenues and profits compared to companies with slow economic inputs. Normally, communities or countries with few people having purchasing money will translate to lesser revenues and profits when compared to communities or countries having more people with higher purchasing power or having more money to spend for McDonald’s products. The company’s control systems Karl Moore (83) emphasized the co mpany’s control systems focus is very realistic. The store officers and staff ensure that all the company’s ingredients are fresh and healthy. The store officers have implemented one strict production process in all the McDonald’s Company branches around the world. The company’s food preparation manual indicates the step by step process of preparing, cooking, and serving each McDonald’s around the world. The food preparation process in the California McDonald’s Company branch is similar to the food preparation of the McDonald’s Company branch in Florida. Likewise, the food preparation process in the United Kingdom McDonald’s Company branch is similar to the food preparation of the McDonald’s Company branch in France. The food preparation process in the Saudi McDonald’s Company branch is similar to the food preparation of the McDonald’s Company branch in India. The implementation of only one standard tried a nd tested ingredient choosing, and food cooking, and food preparation in all the McDonald’s Company branches around the world ensures that the outcome of each McDonald’s Company food and beverage activity complies with the company’s preset quality standards. The company implements preset standards as a measure of quality performance. All branches must adhere to the standards for the sake of maintaining the company’s top spot in the world’s fast food market segment. The McDonald’s Company officers compare the employees’ actual job performance with established standards with the aim of improving any lackluster service performed by the company’s crew. The McDonald’s Company officers do not waste any time in correcting or alleviation any customer complaints. The McDonald’s Company food crew is a human being, sometimes one commits unintentional errors. The new greenhorn employees are apt to commit mistakes fulfilling t he needs, wants, and caprices of the clients. The McDonald’s Company must be quick to remedy such errors to ensure the company will continue to patronize the company’s products and services. It is also customary to post the picture of the best employee of the month in each McDonald’s Company branch as a reward for enthusiastic and hardworking employees. Recommendations Based on the above discussion, it is highly recommended that the company continue its present course in terms of ingredient choosing, food cooking, food preparation, and pricing of the regularly sold McDonald’s Company products that include the â€Å"Big Mac†, Chicken McNuggets, the Frappes, and the standard hamburger, coffee, egg McMuffins, chicken, and other McDonald’s mainstay products being sold in its more than 50 years of existence. The company should continue to expand its horizons by setting up more branches in other communities and countries to ensure that the worldâ €™s craving for the favorite McDonald’s Company products will be filled to overflowing status. The Company does not have to retrench its employees because the company’s food and beverage market segment continues to generate huge revenues and profits. The company can use a combination of online (internet website) ordering, cell phone texting, and phone calls as a means for current and future clients to fill their need for the mouth-watering McDonald’s Company products. In terms of the future, the horizon is crystal clear. Crystal clear means the company sees an increase in the number of McDonald’s Company branches sprouting like mushrooms in other cities that do not have a McDonald’s Company branch within the reach of the hamburger-loving, French fry-loving, and chicken McNuggets-craving residents. Using trend analysis, since the current trend of setting up new McDonald’s Company branches in the past has spelled financial success, the com pany should continue in its unwavering stand to set up new branches in other parts of the world. In terms of rationalizing, the company has been able to generate profits from each branch set up in major places where a huge volume of people congregate, the company should continue its present course to set up new McDonald’s Company branches, in malls, groceries, busy street corners, airports, train stations, and other busy intersections around the world. Conclusion Marketing includes offering quality products at reasonable prices. The history of McDonald’s Company from its humble birth in California to its current worldwide acceptance as the best seller in the food and beverage market segment shows the company deserves the accolades for striving to be the best in terms of product quality and quality service. Specifically, the SWOT analysis scrutinizes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of McDonald’s. The recommendations show that McDonaldâ€℠¢s continue its present course because the company will continue to generate more revenues and profits. Indeed, McDonald’s Company continues to successfully implement textbook-based marketing strategies to retain its catapulted stature as one of the best in the restaurant, food, and beverage world. Works Cited Bohm, Anja M. The SWOT Analysis. New York: Grin Press, 2009. Gilbert, Sara P. The Story of McDonalds. New York: Creative Press, 2008. Moore, Karl A. Marketing: The Basics. New York: Taylor Francis Press, 2009. Pahl, Nadine R. SWOT Anaysis, Methodology, and Practical Approach. New York: Grin Press, 2009. This critical writing on McDonald’s and It’s Critics: 1973- 2009 was written and submitted by user Izayah Oneal to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

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CONFLICT RESOLUTION - Term Paper Example Where people stay, conflicts are bound to take place. As human beings, it is vital to find ways of solving conflicts so as to live in harmony. The art and ability to accommodate one another is equally important therefore it is wise to take it as a burden to resolve conflict in an amicable way without resorting to war. From past experience and historical perspective, diplomacy reigns where war has always failed. It is therefore important to analyze conflict from a personal experience with regard to what takes place in the work place. It is also very important to figure out what would be the dangers of letting anger take control of people in the work or social places and the repercussions it might have on their career (Hodgson, 2000). Conflicts in work places are as common as they are in other social places. Having that background knowledge it is therefore important to find ways of handling situations of conflict that may arise in our surrounding. It is also important to realize that m any a times conflicts normally arise as a result of conflicting concerns of individuals, who may want to suit their own interest at the expense of others. Conflicts in work places arise because of a number of reasons. If such issues are not addressed in time, they cause a threat to the organization. An example of what might cause conflict is the feeling that some workers are given special treatment than others. Yet some workers may also engage in conflict because they are sidelined. This occurs when a single worker or a group of workers find it difficult to associate with fellow workers because of their background, their weakness or even their manner of handling situations. For example in my case, I have experienced a scenario at work place when fellow workers ganged up against me. Reason being, I had a weakness in the manner in which I handled lazy people. Instead of being rational, I acted ruthlessly towards them. As a result, I was sidelined by my workmates. The situation got wor se. I was hated by everyone in the organization. My sight could not be condoned by anyone; this deteriorated my performance. I was almost giving up my job when finally the manager came to our intervention. The situation has improved since I now get along with everyone. My situation may not be different from what might be going on in other places of work. Appreciating others is vital since no achievement in the work place can be realized when workers are not united. We must learn to work with others and accept others, putting it in mind that we cannot have the same qualities. Since conflicts are mandatory in places of work, it is important to look at ways of coming up with solutions to solve such occurrences whenever they happen. There are as many solutions to as many social problems as possible. The only challenge that has always been is that there is no strategy that is near perfect for solving conflicts (Palagi et al., 2004). There are five strategies that can be used in conflict resolution in case of conflict in any working places or anywhere else. The strategies include accommodating, compromising, avoiding, and problem solving. All these strategies are important tools that those who are holding managerial positions in the work places should try to adopt when faced with the challenge of trying to solve disputes in places of work. Conflicts in places of work should be viewed as natural occurrences that arise out of discontentment and frustrations and thus before using

Priesthood Of All Believers Theology Religion Essay

Priesthood Of All Believers Theology Religion Essay Luthers greatest contribution to Protestant ecclesiology was his doctrine of priesthood of all believers. It was a central teaching of Luther in the formation of Christian communities. Eric W. Gritsch has claimed, Luthers doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, developed particularly in his treatises of 1520, is one of the most revolutionary doctrines in the history of Christianity.  [1]  It is the clear biblical idea that we could see from the Genesis to Revelation. The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers opposes the unbiblical doctrine of sacerdotalism  [2]  and the existence of a Brahman-like  [3]  priestly class within the church. When Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses on the door of Wittenberg Castle Church on October 31, 1517, he was declaring war against the idea that salvation comes through the priesthood via the sacraments. His theses were anti-sacerdotalistic and he spoke against the theology that ex opere operato  [4]  supernatural li fe could be created through baptism, brought to growth by confirmation, nourished by the Mass, and healed of all diseases by penance and extreme unction. Luther vehemently rejected the idea that through sacraments a priest could control an individuals life both here and hereafter. Luther claimed that everyone who does have faith in Jesus Christ is a priest. He wrote that his hope was for a day when we shall recover that joyful liberty in which we shall understand that we are all equal in every right, and shall shake off the yoke of tyranny, and know that he who is a Christian has Christ, and he who has Christ has all things that are Christs, and can do all things.  [5]  The concept that all who believe in Christ are priests came into mind to Luther after he became convinced that Scripture was the only authority for a Christian. Believers are called to be the salt and the light (Matthew 5:13), this is only possible when the believers understands Christs priestly ministry and its own priestly role. This also has serious eschatological implications, as Christ comes to be united with his bride, the Church. Will He find a fragmented body or a united family of believers? Hence this paper mainly examines that where from the concept of priesthood of all believers begins in the Bible and for what purpose; what is the context that steered Luther to raise this idea of priesthood of all believers; the coherence between Luthers idea and the biblical idea of priesthood of all believers; and its implication to the present church of India. I. THE ORIGIN OF THE CONCEPT OF PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS IN THE BIBLE A priest is one who performs the sacrifices, makes the rituals and doing the work of mediator between God and man. He is the one responsible for offering the divinely appointed sacrifices to God, for executing ceremonies relating to the worship of God. In other sense, he is the representative between man and God. Scripture says, For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.  [6]  The priestly office came first in time, when our first parents sinned and fell from the high estate into which they had been created. God Himself performed the priestly office when He slew animals and provided a covering for Adam and Eve.  [7]   A. PRIESTHOOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT There were three orders of men in the Old Testament times such as the kingly, the prophetical and the priestly orders. They were set apart by anointing with holy oil for a particular vocation. A king in the Old Testament was one who ruled men for God. A prophet was one who spoke for God to men. And a priest was one who spoke for men to God. Among all these three orders, even from the very beginning of the human race, the believers have performed priestly works. In the particular period, the head of the family was doing the priestly office. He would build an altar and offer a sacrifice for the help from God. Scripture gives enough evidence for that. 1. Priesthood in the Patriarchal Age In the Bible history, the first period is commonly known as Patriarchal Age. The word patriarch comes from two root words meaning father rule. It encompasses the period between the creation events, and the time when Israel was separated as a special nation at Sinai for the preparation of the coming Messiah. In Genesis 4:3-5 both Cain and Abel functioned in the capacity of priest in that each was responsible for his own offering to God. We could see that when Noah disembarked the ark following the great flood, he offered sacrifices on behalf of his family.  [8]  Abram, after a long march from Ur, came into Canaan and built an altar at Shechem.  [9]  Again and again, Abraham offered sacrifices to God, as did his sons and grandsons. Thus, originally in mans relations with God, every individual functioned as his own priest before God with no particular location established for sacrificing and with no intermediary between him and God.  [10]  When He gave the Law at Mount Sinai , the people of Israel had been given an opportunity to become a kingdom of priests. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  [11]   Here God makes a covenant with all the people of Israel. Based on the above text, the people of Israel become Gods possession and are chosen for the privilege of service. God instituted the priesthood of Israel as a congregated unit for the purpose of service to the world. This is the vocation of the people of God of which each member stands under Gods call, and each is accountable for his or her response to it. 2. A Shift on Priesthood But Israel disobeyed and God removed the opportunity for becoming a kingdom of priests. When Moses went up to the mountain to receive a list of rules and regulations for the newly freed nation, God also gave him instructions to form a professional priesthood. Now each layman would no longer be his own priest, the individual could no longer take his sacrifices directly to God.  [12]  Here God selected Aaron and his family and the tribe of Levi to be His priests. They were set apart that when Israelites entered the Promised Land, the priests and Levites received no inheritance of land as the other eleven tribes. They had been set apart for the service of God and were to be supported by the tithes and offerings of the peoples sacrifices. The sons of Aaron and the tribe of Levi had at least three distinctive as priests. 1. They had direct access to God. At appointed times they went into the Holy Place and even the Holy of Holies to communicate with God. 2. The priests represented God to the people of Israel. They were mediators who communicated the Word of God to the people since they were considered holy. 3. The people represented the people of Israel to God. The people could not approach a holy God directly because of their sin. The priests were mediators for the people as they brought sacrifices before the altar. The high priest entered the Holy of Holies yearly once on the Day of Atonement to offer an atoning substitute of a bull or lamb offering. One of the most important features of the priestly system was to emphasize the absolutely holy nature of Almighty God. This is a concept repeatedly affirmed in the Scriptures.  [13]   B. PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIVERS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT This was the situation continued Jesus Christ was crucified. At the same moment of Jesus death, the veil of the Temple was ripped from top to bottom.  [14]  From then on there has been no need for select group of priests. At that point in time and ever since then believers became priests, a part of Gods royal or kingly priesthood. The elimination of the office of priests as a select group of people is based, then, upon the physical sacrifice of Jesus, the ultimate High Priest. Jesus completed and fulfilled the role of priest in His substitutionary death. . . . but He became a priest with an oath when God said to Him: The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: You are a priest forever. Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant . . . because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to savecompletely . . . Such a high priest meets our need-one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. . . . Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself. For the law appoints as high priest men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.  [15]   The priest, then, is the person who himself has access to God and whose task it is to bring others to Him. While in the ancient world this access to God was the privilege of the professional priests, and in particular of the High Priest who alone could enter into the Holy of Holies. But now through Jesus Christ, the new and living way, access to God becomes the privilege of every Christian. The word priest comes from the Latin presbyter and the Greek presbyteros which simply means elder. This word was later used to describe the leader of a community. In modern usage the term priest seems to be derived more from the actual Greek word for priest hiereus.  [16]  In the New Testament this word is never used to describe a class or caste of people separate from the people of God. Instead, it is used in the sense all Gods people are a chosen race, a royal priesthood  [17]  The New Testament believers constitute the succession to the priesthood in old Israel, having been given the right of direct access to God through Christ. Furthermore, the ministry in the church has replaced the ancient priesthood. Hence, all the believers in Christ are priests in the New Testament. Put into historical perspective, the priesthood concept would look like this: for the first several thousand years mankinds history as recorded in the Bible, each man was responsible for functioning as a priest before God. Then, for approximately 1500 years, the time between Moses and when Christ appeared on earth, the priesthood of the professional existed. From the death of Christ until He returns again, we have reverted to the pre-Sinai days of the priesthood of the believer.  [18]   II. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF MARTIN LUTHERS REFORMATIVE THOUGHT It is better to look back the history of the church to understand that how the New Testament idea of priesthood of all believers was perverted into the Roman Catholic Idea of Institutionalism. A. PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS IN THE EARLY CHURCH HISTORY The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers is found throughout the Scriptures and was practiced in the early church. As Dr. R. Laird Harris writes, First century Christianity had no priests. The New Testament nowhere uses the word to describe a leader in Christian service.  [19]  But this glorious doctrine was gradually replaced by sacerdotalism beginning in the third century, especially by Cyprian (c. 258) Bishop of Carthage. Cyprian treated all the passages in the Old Testament that refer to the privileges, the sanctions, the duties, and the responsibilities of the Aaronic Priesthood, as applying to the officers of the Christian Church.  [20]  He completely failed to grasp the central thesis of the Epistle to the Hebrews. He was blind to the fact that the only High Priest under the Gospel recognized by the apostolic writings is our Lord Himself  [21]  and not a solitary pope or bishop or priest of the church. So from the third century onwards the priesthood of all believers was not visible in theological thinking. But the Roman Catholic theologians justified sacerdotalism by saying that Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter, the rock upon whom Jesus would build his church. Further they says that Peter was the first pope of Rome, and so the pope of Rome by succession has the power of the keys of the kingdom to bind and loose, and even to save. Salvation is deposited in the Roman priesthood and dispensed through the sacraments. The sacraments are effectual ex opere operato, meaning the subjective condition of the priest or the recipient does not matter. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is no salvation outside of the priesthoods mediatorial function, and no person by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ may approach the Father with confidence! B. PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS IN THE MEDIVAL PERIOD By the successive centuries, the Roman Catholic hierarchy and other religious groups make a sharp distinction between the laity and the clergy. Such distinction was foreign to the early church where the ultimate authority in ministry traces back to the risen Lord. Along with the structural hierarchy is the sacrament of ordination. The church in Rome imposes the sacrament of ordination that results in the marked separation between the clergy and the laity.  [22]  Christianity had been plagued with it ever since. More and more the church began to structure itself on the basis of the former Levitical order, rather than on the purely New Testament idea of each man is a priest perspective. The change was slow and evolutionary, but pastors gradually came to be called priests and the believers laity. The communion table became an altar and the elements a sacrifice. At the dawn of the Reformation Era, the institutionalized church already would have two major distinguished bodies within the community of believers: the clergy and laity. The status lay people, both in principle and in practice, would not only subordinate to the priests, but also widens the gap between clergy and laity. The gap became synonymous with the sacred and the profane.  [23]   But godly men such as Peter Waldo, John Wyclif and John Hus saw the distinct difference and distance between the clergy and laity. They didnt like it, for it was in opposition to the teachings of the New Testament. Until the dramatic impact of the Protestant Reformation, these smaller movements had little pervasive influence.  [24]   C. PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS IN THE REFORMATION ERA During the Reformation era the concept of the priesthood of all believers became very contentious within the structures of the Institutional church. The Reformation era provides a framework in tracing the concept of the priesthood of all believers. An elucidation on how Martin Luther formulated the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers will be dealt with in the pages to follow. The concept that all who believe in Christ are priests occurred to Luther after he became convinced that Scripture was the only authority for a Christian. As he studied the Bible, especially Pauls Epistle to the Romans, he discovered that in and through Jesus Christ a believer possessed the righteousness of God, and therefore, immediate access to God without the mediation of an arrogant priesthood. Thus, the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers is a sequel to the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone. Those who are clothed in the perfect righteousness of God are welcome in the presence of God. No Christian needs a pontiff, meaning a bridge builder, because Jesus Christ alone is the way to the Father. There were other efforts at reforming the Catholic Church, seeking to bring it back to a more biblical posture, but they all fell short of their goal. It was not until such reforming seeds germinated in a favorable political climate that fruit would be born. The date was October 31, 1517. The place was Wittenberg, Germany. An obscure priest named Martin Luther nailed his grievances to the church door, the Reformation was born. A number of changes were called for by this bold, imaginative priest, but at the very core of the Reformation was the conviction that all believers are priests of the living God. He felt that all believers had the right and responsibility to study Gods Word, involve themselves in the ministry, make confession to God on their own, and even administer the sacraments.  [25]   What had started in 1517 as a protest against indulgences by an unknown monk, developed in 1520 into an irreconcilable conflict dividing the Western Church. The three treatises of To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church, and The Freedom of a Christian are the heart of Luthers protest against the church of his day. The first was written in August, the second in October, and third in November. In great part, Luthers tract is a catalog of the deplorable state of Christendom. The pope exalts himself over secular rulers as well as over the church, and lives in unconscionable luxury. Rome is a moral cesspool where licenses to live in open debauchery can be bought and sold. The Church has become a machine for making money, and the popes henchmen, having bled Italy dry, have now turned their attention to Germany. Because of their inability to live up to the arbitrary rule of celibacy, many pious priests keep wives, yet do so secretly and with a bad conscience. The universities ignore the Bible and lecture on commentaries, and on commentaries on commentaries. The common people are ignorant even of basic Christianity.  [26]  In such a situation, Luther did write his treatises. Primarily, his first treatise of To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation occupied the central theme of the priesthood of all believers. Here it is better to examine the background that led Martin Luther to raise the concept of priesthood of all believers. 1. To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation a) Priesthood of All Believers As Social Implication In his first treatise of To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation the concept of priesthood of all believers has social, ecclesiastical and spiritual implications. At the dawn of the Reformation era, the institutionalized church already would have two major distinguished bodies within the community of believers such as clergy and laity. Socially, he accepted the context of western Christianity, where temporal rulers belong to the body of Christendom. Within the Christian social order, the rulers are ordained of God to punish evildoers and protect those who do good. When pressed by the temporal power the Romanists have made decrees and declared that the temporal power had no jurisdiction over them, but that, on the contrary, the spiritual power is above the temporal.  [27]   Luther argues against the medieval division between the temporal and the church authorities and their separate jurisdictions in all matters. First of all, he attacked the social distinction that emphasized by the Romanists, It is pure invention that pope, bishop, priests, and monks are called the spiritual estate while princes, lords, artisans, and farmers are called the temporal estate. This is indeed a piece of deceit and hypocrisy. Yet no one need be intimidated by it, and for this reason: all Christians are truly of the spiritual estate, and there is no difference among them except that of office.  [28]   He maintains that all Christians are equally Christian so that none is superior to any other as far possessing what is essential to the church, because we all have one baptism, one gospel, one faith, are all Christians alike; for baptism, gospel, and faith alone make us spiritual and a Christian people.  [29]   Relying upon 1Corinthians 12:12-13, which describes the Church as the body of Christ and each member a part of that body, Luther acknowledges differences between Christians, not as questions of status, however, but as occasions for service to others. All are not the same in what God has given them to do, but they are all the same in what God has given them to be in the Church, viz., His very own people. All Christians, therefore, have the same status. By quoting 1Peter 2:9 and Rev. 5:9-10, Luther describes that status as priest and ascribes it to every Christian, As far as that goes, we are all consecrated priests through baptism.  [30]  So what differentiates Christians is simply the work that God has given them to do: There is no true, basic difference between laymen and priests, prices and bishops, between religious and secular, except for the sake of office and work, but not for the same of status. They are all of the spiritual estate, al are truly priests, bishops, and popes  [31]   As part of the divine economy, God has given to each Christian a particular calling in this life whereby he serves others, Everyone must benefit and serve every other by means of his own work or office so that in this way many kinds of work may be done for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the community, just as all the members of the body serve one another (1Cor.12:14-26).  [32]   As examples of such vocations in the body of Christ, Luther mentions cobblers, smiths, peasants, and temporal authorities besides the clergy. But what is noteworthy about the last, those who have as their vocation the administration of the Word of God and Sacraments,  [33]  is that they are exercising an authority that belongs in the first instance to every Christian. For besides designating ones status before God, Luthers concept of the priesthood of believers also includes spiritual power in the church. b) Priesthood of All Believers as Ecclesiastical Implication Luther rejects ecclesiastically, the clergys monopoly on interpreting Scripture. He attacks the second wall of Romanists that only the pope may interpret the Scripture, determining correct doctrine, forgiving sins, and exercising discipline. There is no Scriptural warrant at all for the claim that only the pope may interpret the Bible. Here Luther clarifies the illusion that some of the Romanists claim of the power that was given to St. Peter. Although they allege that this power was given to St. Peter when the keys were given him, it is clear enough that the key were not given to Peter alone but to the whole community. Further, the keys were not ordained for doctrine or government, but only for the binding or loosing of sin.  [34]   As handlers of Scripture the Romanists are manifestly incompetent, and this makes their claim to hold a monopoly on biblical interpretation absurd. The Romanists must admit that there are among us good Christians who have the true faith, spirit, understanding, word, and mind of Christ. Luthers main point is that the Pope isnt the only person able to read the scriptures. He writes, Has not the Pope often erred? Here Luther implies that the Pope isnt God, and that he makes mistakes.  [35]  The Pope, therefore, can misinterpret the Bible. Luther shows that the Pope is like everyone else, so therefore others can interpret the scriptures as well. Luther then uses the Bible as a way to prove the second wall wrong. Luther quotes Christs words, And they shall be all taught of God(St. John vi. 45). Everyone should be able to interpret the scriptures and be taught of God, without the Popes help. Furthermore he questions, Besides, if we are all priests, as was said above, and all have one faith, one gospel, one sacrament, why should we not also have the power to test and judge what is right or wrong in matters of faith? What becomes of Pauls words in 1Corinthians 2:15, A spiritual man judges all things, yet he is judged by no one? And 2Corinthians 4:13, We all have one spirit of faith? Why, then, should not we perceive what is consistent with faith and what is not, just as well as an unbelieving pope does?  [36]   Even more, Luther attacks the third wall of Romanists. He argues that there is no basis either in the nature of a Christian society or in Scripture for the Romanists refusal to call a council. Luther brings up that St. Peter wasnt the only person to call a council: Thus we read in Acts 15 that the council of the Apostles was not called by St. Peter, but by all the Apostles and the elders.  [37]  Also, nowhere in the scriptures does it say that the Pope is allowed to call a council by himself. Therefore their threats can be safely ignored, and a council should be called without delay to deal with a long list of abuses in the Church. Ordinary people and temporal authorities have the right and duty to do this, not only by virtue of their status as kings and priests before God, but because the crisis in the Church demands it. Would it not be unnatural if a fire broke out in a city and everybody were to stand by and let it burn on and on and consume everything that could burn because nobody had the authority of the mayor, or because, perhaps, the fire broke out in the mayors house? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦How much more should this be done in the spiritual city of Christ if a fire of offense breaks out, whether in the papal government, or anywhere else?  [38]   Therefore, Luther concludes that it is the duty of every Christian in the Church as having the responsibility of priesthood of all believers; he has to espouse the cause of the faith, to understand and defend it, and to denounce every error. c) Priesthood of All Believers as Spiritual Implication Luther declares that since we have one baptism, one gospel one faith, and are all Christians alike; for baptism, gospel, and faith alone make us spiritual and a Christian people. He quotes 1Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, Gods special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Yet all are alike consecrated priests, everyone must benefit and serve every other by means of his own work or office so that in this way many kinds of work may be done for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the community, just as all the members of the body serve one another. Mainly all should share the three priestly functions such as prayer intercede with God on behalf of others, proclamation speak the gospel sharing it with the neighbor, and sacrifice living a cross-centered and servant oriented life. Since the Church is in a state of crisis and someone has to act. The temporal authorities and ordinary lay people can and should do so because there are no inherently unspiritual vocations, because all Christians in all vocations are kings and priests, and because the deplorable state of the Church is the concern of every Christian. 2. The Babylonian Captivity of the Church Nevertheless, the second treatise of Luther, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church also has the influence of the idea of priesthood of all believers. In this treatise, he discusses and dismantles the medieval sacramental system. In a measured but powerful way, Luther subjects each of the seven medieval sacraments such as baptism, Eucharist, penance, confirmation, marriage, ordination, and extreme unction to the critique of Gods Word and concludes that there are, strictly speaking, but two sacraments in the church of God baptism and the bread ( Eucharist). For only in these two do we find both the divinely instituted sign and the promise of forgiveness of sins  [39]   Not surprisingly, in his di

Why Do Managers Prefer to Pay Dividend in Cash? Essay -- Business, Sto

The study makes use of the financial data on Pakistani listed firms for 2001-2008 to look at the objective behind distribution of cash dividends. Based on the analysis it is found that poorly performing firms listed on Karachi Stock Market (KSE) having larger portion of non-tradable shares pay cash dividends. Because the holders of non-tradable shares (directors and block-holders) do not/cannot realize capital gains from positive change in the price of their holdings. The study finds that cash dividend distribution behavior of the poorly-performing firms is subjected to what the directors and block-holders prefer. The result advocates the findings of Faccio, Lang and Young (2006), Chen, Fung and Leung (2007) regarding cash channeling hypothesis. Key words: non-tradable shares; cash dividends; cash channeling hypothesis 1. Introduction Dividend policy for a firm means whether to pay or not pay; whether to pay in cash, in stocks or both in cash and stocks and how frequently to pay. Why do firms distribute cash dividends when they observe a decline in their earnings? Why not stock repurchases? Why not stock dividend? To look at this research issue, the research will evaluate the cash dividend distribution behavior of firms in light of different ownership structures having trading restrictions. KSE is a developing market of the region with not a sound regulatory framework. There is a shortage of managerial talent in the firms listed on the market. So it is reasonable to say that as compare to firms listed on the developed markets of United States and Europe, the firms listed on KSE do not observe good corporate governance practices generally. Louis Cheng, Fung Leung (2004). Moreover, to protect shareholder... ...ent variables i.e., Director Ownership, Financial institutions ownership, Block-holders’ ownership to examine the relation with the dependent variable which is Cash-Dividend-to-assets. But there are some other variables that also affect the cash dividend distribution behavior of a firm. To control for that effect the study include those variables in the model. The control variables are Debt-to-Assets, Free Cash Flow per Share, Free Cash Flow to Assets, Earning per Share, Size of the firm and Return on Assets. 4. Results and Discussion 4.1 Descriptive Statistics Table 4.1 provides summary statistics of Cash Dividend to Assets, Director Ownership, Financial institutions ownership, Block-holders ownership, Free Cash flow to Assets, Earnings per Share Debt-to-Assets ratio, Return on Assets and firm size (LnAssets) of the sampled firms for the period 2001 to 2008.

Poker Flat Essay

Do you think people can control how or if the die; even if inevitable? This unique story by Francis Bret Harte â€Å"The Outcast of Poker Flat†, has a grey western setting. Harte explores the mind of a gambler who is exiled from a warped town. Two literary devices regionalism and naturalism content is evident throughout, giving the story a feeling of hopelessness of survival. The regionalism in â€Å"The Outcast of Poker Flat† separates the characters from the town in such a way that is ironic. â€Å"I reckon they are after somebody† is said by the main character in the beginning of the story showing strong dialect on how the speech is in the town. The dialect is a western slang with an unintelligent tone to the towns people. The quote also shows the tense situation in that town specifically; everyone is on edge whispering among each other as the main character walks into a bar. They irony between the towns people and the so called â€Å"criminal† outcast was shown strongly in the leader of the town cleanup crew â€Å"†¦the leader spoke briefly and to the point. The exiles were forbidden to return at the peril of their lives†. What is so ironic about this is the role reversal. Who are the criminals, what group is doing the most wrong in this situation? The pessimism and dismay for the outcast soon after had clear naturalis m. The outcast were exiled from the town of Poker Flat. â€Å"It was distant a day’s severe travel. In that advanced season, the party soon passed out of the moist, temperate regions of the foot-hills into the dry, cold, bracing air of the Sierras.† The brutal environment would test the outcasts ability to survive. Since the group was not prepared for the cold temperatures or the dangerous Sierras survival seemed futile. The outcast start to give up â€Å"Toward morning they found themselves unable to feed the fire, which gradually died away. As the embers slowly blackened, the Duchess crept closer to Piney, and broke the silence of many hours: â€Å"Piney, can you pray?† â€Å"No, dear,† said Piney, simply.† the environment is dwindling away at the outcast survival until they parish. The outcast have been victims of naturalism they were not prepared for the hard unforgiving Sierra mountains. Two literary devices regionalism and naturalism content is evident throughout, giving the story a feeling of hopelessness of survival. These  devices create and understanding of the story. They help separate two similar but different concepts.

Public Health v.s Individual Liberty Essay Example

Public Health v.s Individual Liberty Essay Example Public Health v.s Individual Liberty Paper Public Health v.s Individual Liberty Paper Essay Topic: On Liberty In Typhoid Mary, Mary Mallon is isolated on North Brother Island from 1907 to 1910 and again from 1915 until she dies in 1938. Mary Mallon is striped of her civil liberties and is unwillingly quarantined to preserve public health. This brings about an interesting issue, an issue that is just as important today with regard to AIDS as it was nearly a century ago with typhoid. Many have suggested, then and now, that if an individual endangers the public health of the community that that person’s liberties should become secondary to the safety of the community. However, people that contract diseases are unwilling victims of it and they too are members of the community. There must be a balance. While protecting the larger community, the individual must too be protected. One’s individual liberties should not be denied in order to protect public health. When facing a public health concern like a contagious disease, isolating people with the disease does not guarantee its elimination but it does rob these people of their freedoms. The purpose of this essay is to suggest that protecting an individual’s liberties is just as important as protecting public health and that isolation should not be used as a method of preventing the spread of disease. Using two prime examples we will look at how isolation violates civil liberties. The first example is of Mary Mallon’s isolation. This example illustrates that a well-informed, cooperative carrier, can be a far more useful tool than isolation. The second example is of Cuba’s national HIV/AIDS containment program. From this example one can see the negative impact that isolation has on the stricken and the community and that isolation, as a means of preventing the spread of disease ultimately does not work. Mary Mallon arrives in the United States in 1896 at the age of fifteen. Although she is poorly educated and unskilled, Mallon is bright and spirited. She moves from job to job, always seeking to improve her life. After discovering her aptitude in preparing food she becomes a cook. In the summer of 1906, a wealthy banker by the name of Charles Henry Warren rented a large house in Oyster Bay, Long Island as a vacation home for himself and his family. He employs maids, gardeners, and a cook to provide the services at his new home. On the fourth of August, he hires Mary Mallon as the family cook. On the twenty-seventh of August, the household is stricken with typhoid fever. The owner of the house, George Thompson, fearful that he will be unable to rent the house ever again, becomes determined to learn the source of the disease. Thus, he hires George Soper, a sanitary engineer, to conduct an investigation. At first, Soper thought soft clams might have been the initial agent. He later, shifts his attention to household members, and finally to the cook. When he learns that Mary Mallon is only hired shortly before the beginning of the illnesses, he becomes convinced that she is a healthy carrier of typhoid fever. He tracks Mary Mallon to her new place of employment. He approaches her with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop. He tells her she is spreading disease through the food she cooks and demands that she provides him with stool, urine and blood samples. Mary attacks Soper with a meat fork and he is forced to retreat without any samples. Mary Mallon refuses to believe that she is spreading the infectious disease, typhoid fever. She declares that she has never had typhoid in her life. Soper is equally adamant in proving his theory. To do so, he reconstructs Mallon’s work history. He finds that in the previous ten years, Mallon had worked as a cook for eight different families. Of the eight, seven families had experienced typhoid outbreaks. He also finds that a total number of twenty-two people have taken ill and one has died. Soper’s data persuades the New York City Health Inspector that Mary Mallon is indeed a carrier of the disease. In March of 1907, she is carried off, kicking and screaming, to a hospital for testing. Her feces show high concentrations of typhoid bacilli and she is sent to an isolation cottage on the grounds of Riverside Hospital, located on a small island near Riker’s Island. There she remains for three years. This is when Mary Mallon becomes known as Typhoid Mary. After three years, Mary is released with the proviso that she will stay in touch with the health department and that she not work as a cook. For a time, she complies with the requirements. She works in a laundry; however, this job does not sustain her in wages or in satisfaction. Therefore she changes her name to Mrs. Brown and returns to cooking. For three months, she cooks at Sloane Maternity hospital in Manhattan. During her time there, at least dozens of doctors, nurses, staff, and even children contacted typhoid Fever. Two of the victims die. Mary Mallon is unmasked as Typhoid Mary. She is again sent to North Border Island where she lives for twenty-three years until she dies. Mary Mallon’s isolation is a prime example of how public health policies can be discriminatory and unfairly applied. Mary Mallon is not the only known carrier of typhoid, yet she is the only one to be robbed of her civil liberties because she is a healthy carrier. When she dies, in 1938, a newspaper notes that there are 237 other healthy carriers under observation by the health department. Mary Mallon is, however, the only person to be forced to live in isolation. Mary Mallon’s story, although very tragic, can be an extremely useful asset in the United States’ efforts to create a health care system that is in no way discriminatory. It is exemplary of the kinds of pitfalls that the United States should avoid. One can see from Typhoid Mary that there is a great need for fairness in the health care system. For example, if Mary Mallon felt health system was fair and non-discriminatory she would have had more confidence in the system. Thus, she would have been more likely to cooperate. There is also a need for better education on how diseases are spread. If Mary Mallon had been better educated on how to prevent the spread of the infectious disease, the combination of her willingness to cooperate with her knowledge of how to protect others from infection would have meant that both her rights and liberties would have been protected as well as the public’s health. Education is a far more powerful tool in preventing the spread of infectious diseases than isolation ever could be. However, the health system must first become fair, non-discriminatory, and trustworthy, and all citizens, especially those stricken with disease, must perceive it as such. This will lead more and more people to trust in the public health system. This trust then allows the system to effectively educate more people that carry a disease, so they can refrain from activities that put others at risk. Johan Giesecke, an infectious disease specialist, believes that â€Å"strong public confidence in a benevolent and non-discriminatory state and health care system is more valuable than repressive legislation† (Leavitt; 245). In the end, everyone benefits from this method of prevention. This method prevents the spread of disease better than isolation ever will. At the same time the rights and liberties of the infected are being protected along with the health of the community. In thinking about how far the government might take disease control, isolation emerges as a frightening possibility. Nevertheless, some states have actually considered quarantining people with HIV/AIDS. One can argue that this kind of action goes against democracy, against the Constitution, and against the very foundation the United States is built on. Clearly, isolating people deprives individuals of their god giving rights as human beings and as Americans. Isolation robs these individuals of cherished values like: liberty, privacy, freedom of speech, and freedom of choice. Cuba is another prime example of why the United States should not use isolation as a public health preservation tactic. In 1986 Cuba initiated a national program to contain AIDS. This program includes: systematic screenings, isolating of all HIV-positive people in sanitariums, and requiring all HIV-positive pregnant women to abort their babies. Cuba found initial success in containing AIDS due to this plan along with other determining factors. Drug use, which is a major means of HIV transmission, has been rigorously reduced in Cuba. Cuba also upholds a severely strict sexual conduct code. It also benefits from its position in the hemisphere; because of its economic isolation it is relatively underexposed to the disease. One can state that isolation of HIV-positive people has contributed greatly to the initial success of Cuba keeping the disease at bay, but this success comes at the expense of Cuban citizens. Citizens comply with the program not of their own free will. This program does more harm than good. It forces HIV-positive people to live away from their friends and family in sanitariums and deprives them of their civil liberties. These sanitariums seem to be nothing more than prisons. The people who are forced to live there are called â€Å"inmates† and they are kept in with walls and barbed wire. Some of these inmates have compared these sanitariums to concentration camps. The program also robs HIV-positive women of the right to choose because they must abort their babies, whether they want to or not. Also, the systematic screenings are an invasion of privacy. What makes the situation worse is that these people are striped of their liberties and isolated in vain. Recent studies show that the program has not been effective in stopping the epidemic. Instead, it leads people to believe that all the HIV/AIDS-positive people are isolated and they gain a false sense of security, which results in a reverse effect. Due to this sense of security they engage in unprotected sex and thus continue to spread the infection. The United States has two courses of action that it can take. The first is to legally decide to follow the lead of the Cuban government. Therefore, placing the individual rights and liberties of the sick at a secondary level, while deciding that the protection of the public health is a far greater national priority. Such changes would move the country in a direction opposite of the democracy all Americans love and believe in. This would foster discrimination of those that have a disease, like HIV, at state, community, and health care levels. Amilca Palmer, a journalist that did a study on Cuba’ sanitariums, writes, â€Å"It is a telling sign that Cuba is not an utopian socialist world where everyones needs are met, but one where the individual is erased, especially that individual who cant conform to the social norm† (Palmer; stg. brown. edu). This is certainly not the direction in which the United States should follow. Instead, the United States should look to other options, options that uphold democracy not dictatorship. The second choice it can consider is to make civil rights and liberties an equally dominant national priority as public health. Therefore, establishing policies of fair non-discriminatory health care. This kind of policy will earn the confidence of all American citizens, sick and well alike, and provide them legitimate, long-term protection that is accommodating. Such changes would move the country in a direction that fosters our value system of individual rights and liberties, while emphasizing the importance of public health. In conclusion, Typhoid Mary written nearly a century ago brings up an important issue, an issue that affects many people still today. Mary Mallon’s story teaches people that there must be fairness in public health policies, and that these policies must avoid discrimination and abuse of individuals who carry a disease. Many people believe that when deciding between an individual’s rights and the health of a community, the community’s safety becomes paramount and the individual’s liberties become simply secondary. Thus, isolation is not considered as a violation of one’s rights but as a right of the community to be protected from these carriers. However, it is imperative that one keeps in mind that the stricken are members of the community too and their rights are just as important. Isolation does not eliminate the spread of disease. In some ways it may actually help facilitate the spread of disease. Yet, some states in the U. S. are considering using isolation to lessen then spread of HIV/AIDS in the country. One can argue that isolation goes against democracy, against the Constitution, and against the very foundation the United States is built on. Bibliography : lihistory. com/7/hs702a. htm http://history1900s. about. com/library/weekly/aa062900a. htm stg. brown. edu/projects/projects. old/classes/mc166k/summarie/indys. html cubasolidarity. net/cubahol2. html Leavitt, Judith Walzer. Typhoid Mary. Beacon Press, Boston, Massachusetts, 1996.

Time, Gentlemen, Please!

Time, Gentlemen, Please! Time, Gentlemen, Please! Time, Gentlemen, Please! By Maeve Maddox Our lives are defined by time. I challenge you to keep track of the number of times you say the word â€Å"time† in the course of a single day: What time is it? How much time do I have? It’s about time! We spend time, waste time, lose time, and save time. When we’re ready to go home from work, we say it’s time to call it a day. When we’re ready to go to bed, we say it’s time to call it a night. When we’re having fun, time flies. When we’re sad or bored, time drags by. The following examples of â€Å"time† expressions are for our ESL readers. He thinks his heart is broken, but time heals all wounds. (He’ll get over it when enough time has passed.) She seems to be a good choice; time will tell if she can do the work. (When she has been in the job long enough, her ability or lack of it will be apparent.) He graduated a year ago; it’s past time he looked for a job. (He should have looked for work before now.) The firemen got to the house just in time to save the residents. (A few minutes later and they residents would have died.) A year ago, the doctor gave him three months to live; he’s living on borrowed time. (He’s living longer than was expected.) He was unable to travel for nine years; now he’s making up for lost time by visiting every continent. (He’s going to extremes in an effort to experience what he could not at an earlier time.) Getting the transplant organ from California to the hospital in Kenya will be a race against time. (The organ will be useless if it does not reach its destination within a limited period.) Charlie is never in a hurry. He will answer the telephone in his own sweet time. (He will answer when he is ready.) Shakespeare’s works have stood the test of time. (to stand the test of time is to prove valuable or popular or useful for a very long time.) He won’t give you a definite answer because he’s playing for time. (He is deliberately practicing delay.) Now that you’re retired, I suppose you have time on your hands. (You don’t have anything that you must do.) If you’re not some kind of celebrity, she won’t give you the time of day. (She won’t pay any attention to you.) 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 Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?The Six Spellings of "Long E"Appropriate vs. Apropos vs. Apt

International Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Business Law - Essay Example Over the last decade, the caseload of the ICSID notably increased mainly as a result of an increase in foreign investment practices. Among the 263 registered cases at ICSID as on 30th March 2007, the Argentine government involved in more than 30 cases as an effect of Argentina’s economic crisis (â€Å"Orinton Lawfirm†). ICSID provisions for Boris From the given case context, it is clear that Nonatian government does not give much emphasis on the protection of investor interests. However, Nonatia and Russia (home country of Boris) are signatories to the ICSID. Hence, Boris will be protected by the ICSID provisions even though the Nonatian government does not try to safeguard his financial interests. The ICSID mainly provides conciliation and arbitration facilities to contracting states and nationals of other contracting states in order to resolve investment disputes. Conciliation According to ICSID provisions, Boris may submit a request in writing to the Secretary-Genera l to institute conciliation proceedings if he is not satisfied with the dealing of Nonatian government in future. While requesting for conciliation, Boris has to clearly address detailed information concerning the dispute. The Secretary-General (as cited in Davidson Ciambella) will register the request unless he finds the dispute is outside the jurisdiction of the Center (331-332). As per the provision of Article 29, a Conciliation Commission is constituted immediately after the registration of the conciliation request. The Commission may contain a conciliator or sometimes any uneven numbers of conciliators according to the mutual agreement of both the parties. During the course of conciliation proceedings, the Commission clarifies the causes of disputes between parties with intent to suggest mutually acceptable solutions immediately. At various phases of the proceedings (as cited in Rayfuse,), the Commission may recommend terms of settlement to the parties (ICSID Reports). Under th is practice, both the parties will cooperate in good faith with intent to assist the Commission to carry out its functions smoothly and flawlessly (â€Å"Australian government†). Hence, Boris can ensure maximum cooperation of the Nonatian government on the strength of ICSID provisions because both of them (Nonatian government and Boris) need to give most serious considerations to the Commission’s recommendations. The effective intervention of the ICSID would probably force the Nonatian government to focus more on the needs of Boris; and in fact, this situation assists Boris to take maximum advantages of his investment in Nonatia. It would be an effective method for Boris on the ground of cost and time as it involves simple legal proceedings. However, it seems that conciliation proceedings of ICSID are not much effective for resolving complex disputes, and hence it is recommendable for Boris to seek the help of other ICSID provisions if the issue has multifarious effect s. Arbitration The submission of arbitration request is similar to that of request for conciliation. Once the arbitration request is registered by the General-Secretary, an Arbitration Council is constituted as early as possible. The Arbitration Council consists of arbitrator(s) whereas conciliator(s) represents Conciliation Comm

E-commerce in Arab Countries, What are the Benefits Article

E-commerce in Arab Countries, What are the Benefits - Article Example According to the paper findings since there are several countries in the Arab region, data related to e-commerce and internet usage in some of the important Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Egypt etc. will be mentioned and interpreted in the research report. Once a clear idea is obtained about the e-commerce in Arab countries, the findings will then be compared with the present situation of e-commerce in UK. After this comparative analysis, the research will aim at finding various obstacles to e-commerce in Arab countries. In addition to that research will also endeavour to find out the basic concepts and the major benefits of e-commerce. The major aim of this research is to gain an insight of current situation prevailing in Arab countries regarding the e-commerce. The current situation can be evaluated by finding out the total value of e-commerce in these countries, number of users, extent of involvement of people and business house etc. Furthermore the research also tries to analyse the present e-commerce situation in UK for comparing it with the situation in Arab countries. In addition to it, this research also aims to identify the factors that act as obstacles in Arab countries. E-commerce has several benefits which are expected to have significant effects on the people and the economy of a particular country. This research is conducted with the purpose of identifying the benefits of e-commerce and their effects on Arab countries. This is the major objective of this research paper apart from the others that are mentioned above.