Free Essays on Domestic Partners And Benefits

Benefits and Domestic Partners â€Å"Diversity† has been an increasingly popular buzzword in the workplace over the last several years. Traditionally, approaches to diversity primarily referred to the manner in which companies addressed legislative and regulatory issues of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action related to race and gender. In today’s business culture, diversity has become a strategy that will increase a company’s ability to remain competitive in the face of changing demographics and the rapid globalization of business. Many companies, both public and private, have recognized the need to take advantage of the variety of skills and experiences that today’s diverse workforce offers. Recognition of this diversity has brought to the forefront new issues that employers must address. Equitably managing the employee benefits portion of a compensation package is one such issue. Since employee benefits can account for 30 to 40 percent of an employee’s co mpensation, the manner in which these benefits are offered and administered can have a significant impact for both the employer and the employee (Isaacson 1). In particular, the issue of offering domestic partner benefits has caused considerable debate. "Domestic partnership" is defined in this paper as two adults in an ongoing, emotional and financial relationship similar to a marriage, who cannot legally marry or who are not married. While some people feel that domestic partner benefits are not cost effective and are morally wrong, many companies have realized that to accurately value the diversity of their workforce they must offer domestic partner benefits, therefore domestic partner benefits should not be an issue. In today’s competitive marketplace, companies must look at every decision with an eye towards cost effectiveness. Initially, costs were the primary concern when the first companies began to contemplate offering domestic partner be... Free Essays on Domestic Partners And Benefits Free Essays on Domestic Partners And Benefits Benefits and Domestic Partners â€Å"Diversity† has been an increasingly popular buzzword in the workplace over the last several years. Traditionally, approaches to diversity primarily referred to the manner in which companies addressed legislative and regulatory issues of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action related to race and gender. In today’s business culture, diversity has become a strategy that will increase a company’s ability to remain competitive in the face of changing demographics and the rapid globalization of business. Many companies, both public and private, have recognized the need to take advantage of the variety of skills and experiences that today’s diverse workforce offers. Recognition of this diversity has brought to the forefront new issues that employers must address. Equitably managing the employee benefits portion of a compensation package is one such issue. Since employee benefits can account for 30 to 40 percent of an employee’s co mpensation, the manner in which these benefits are offered and administered can have a significant impact for both the employer and the employee (Isaacson 1). In particular, the issue of offering domestic partner benefits has caused considerable debate. "Domestic partnership" is defined in this paper as two adults in an ongoing, emotional and financial relationship similar to a marriage, who cannot legally marry or who are not married. While some people feel that domestic partner benefits are not cost effective and are morally wrong, many companies have realized that to accurately value the diversity of their workforce they must offer domestic partner benefits, therefore domestic partner benefits should not be an issue. In today’s competitive marketplace, companies must look at every decision with an eye towards cost effectiveness. Initially, costs were the primary concern when the first companies began to contemplate offering domestic partner be...

Macbeth Overview

'Macbeth' Overview Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, tells the story of a Scottish nobleman and his own ambition to become king. The source material is Holinshed’s Chronicle, which compiled a history of England, Scotland and Ireland. First published in its Folio edition in 1623, it is the shortest of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Despite its brevity, it had a rich legacy. Fast Facts: Macbeth Title: MacbethAuthor: William ShakespearePublisher:  Edward Blount and William and Isaac JaggardYear Published: First Edition, Folio, 1623Genre: dramaType of Work: tragedyOriginal Language: EnglishThemes: Ambition, fate, free will, loyalty, appearance vs. realityCharacters: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, The Three Witches, Duncan, Banquo, MacduffNotable Adaptations: Orson Welles’ Voodoo Macbeth (1936); Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood (1957);  Roman Polanski’s The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)Fun Fact: due to superstition, actors avoid addressing Macbeth by its name directly, and use the phrase â€Å"The Scottish Play† instead. Plot Summary Macbeth is a tragedy telling the story of the Scottish nobleman by the same name, consumed by his own ambition to become king and by the consequences of the acts he commits in order to achieve his goal. At the beginning of the play, after a victorious battle, Macbeth and fellow general Banquo meet three witches in a heath, and they deliver prophecies to both of them: Macbeth would become king of Scotland, and Banquo will father a line of kings while not becoming king himself. Encouraged by Lady Macbeth, his ruthless wife, Macbeth plans to kill King Duncan. After his murder, since his heir Malcolm and his brother Donalbain promptly flee to England and Ireland, respectively, Macbeth is crowned king. Consumed by guilt and paranoia, he becomes more and more of a tyrant as the play progresses. First he has Banquo killed, and his ghost visits him during a banquet. After consulting the witches again, who tell him to beware of Macduff and that he won’t be vanquished by anyone â€Å"of woman born,† he tries to have Macduff’s castle seized and everyone inside killed. However, since Macduff had gone to England to join forces with Malcolm, Macbeth only succeeds in having Macduff’s family killed. This prompts Macduff and Malcolm to raise an army aimed at dethroning Macbeth. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth, who initially was more assertive than her husband, has become consumed by guilt to the point of insanity and eventually kills herself. The Scottish generals rally against Macbeth, and Macduff manages to vanquish him- he was not â€Å"of woman born† but â€Å"from his mothers womb untimely ripped.†Ã‚  The play ends with Malcolm being crowned king of Scotland. Major Characters Macbeth. Macbeth is initially presented as a Scottish nobleman and a valiant warrior. However, after listening to the prophecy delivered by the Three Witches in which he is told he would be king, he is overcome by blind ambition, and, strongly encouraged by his wife, he kills the king to usurp the throne.  His thirst for power is counterbalanced by paranoia, which leads to his downfall. Lady Macbeth. Macbeth’s wife, she thinks her husband’s nature is too full of kindness. She is the one who devises the plot for her husband to murder King Duncan, and is initially less fazed by the deed than her husband. However, she eventually unravels too, and commits suicide. The Three Witches. Whether they control fate or are merely its agents, the Three Witches set the tragedy in motion: they deliver Macbeth and his companion Banquo with a prophecy that the former shall be king, and the latter shall generate a line of kings. These prophecies have a great influence on Macbeth, who decides to usurp the throne of Scotland. Banquo. Banquo is another Scottish thane who was with Macbeth when the witches delivered their prophecy. He is told that he will father a line of kings while not becoming king himself. After the king’s murder, Macbeth feels threatened by Banquo and has him murdered by hired assassins. Yet, Banquo returns as a ghost at a banquet, visibly startling Macbeth, who is the only one who can see him.   Macduff. Macduff finds King Duncan’s body after he was murdered and immediately suspects Macbeth. Eventually, he murders Macbeth. King Duncan. The wise and firm king of Scotland at the beginning of the play, he is murdered by Macbeth so he can usurp the throne. He represents moral order in the play, which Macbeth destroys and Macduff restores. Main Themes Ambition. Macbeth’s ambition is devoid of any morality and is the cause of Macbeth’s downfall. After becoming king of Scotland, Macbeth’s ambition turns him into a tyrant, and he has his suspected enemies murdered. Ambition is a trait his wife Lady Macbeth shares, and she, too, succumbs to it.   Loyalty. At he beginning of the play, King Duncan rewards Macbeth with the title â€Å"Thane of Cawdor† because the original Thane of Cawdor was actually a traitor, but Macbeth betrays the king in order to usurp the throne. Macduff, who suspects Macbeth once he sees the king’s corpse, flees to England to join Duncan’s son Malcolm, and together they plan the downfall of Macbeth and restore the moral order.   Fate and free will. The witches do show Macbeth his future and his fate, but Macbeth’s actions are arbitrary and not pre-ordained.   Appearance and reality. â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair,† is one of the famous quotes in Macbeth, and appearance and reality intermingle in the play: the witches give out paradoxical prophecies and characters hide their true intentions. For example, Macbeth seems honorable but actually plans to murder King Duncan. Malcolm soon flees Scotland after his father’s murder, which seems suspicious at first, but it’s actually a way for him to protect himself. Literary Style The language used by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth evolves throughout the play.  At first, they’re both characterized by a fluent and energetic style, but, as their ambition gradually overtakes them, their speech becomes fragmented. For instance, while prose in Shakespeares plays is reserved to characters of low social orders, once Lady Macbeth is overcome by madness, she utters her lines in prose too. By contrast, the witches speak in enigmatic riddles interposed with grotesque elements.   About the Author William Shakespeare, who wrote ten tragedies and eighteen comedies, wrote King Lear (1605), Macbeth (1606), and The Tempest during King James’ reign. King James was patron of Shakespeare’s acting company, and Macbeth, by stating that King James descended from the Scottish thane Banquo, is a de facto tribute to Shakespeare’s sovereign.

Ocational Training in Qatar Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Ocational Training in Qatar - Thesis Example The different levels of management expressed grave concern that the trainees were not well trained both technically and linguistically. Moreover, the programs are not line-specific and have no distinct patterns. The duration of the program is approximately 2.9 to 4 years which is too long and fails to lead to a recognized college level. The majority of the trainees indicated that they did not benefit much from the training programs. The training programs are not audited by an independent accrediting organization. Furthermore, too many parties of the parties that were involved in training the students had no training background. Lastly, the Qatari secondary school graduates are in high demand. It is thus recommended that non-Qatari’s whose mothers are Qaani’s and non-Qatari’s born in Qatar are included. The researcher observed that there were genuine efforts to equip the National Operators and Technicians with the best skills to best perform. The programs offered were, however, not based on market needs or international standards with unaccredited and uncertified TPP programs. The study was conducted in one of the LNG companies located in Qatar. The operations management believed that the quality of the Operators and Technicians needed to be enhanced to match that of its counterparts (reputable companies in the same business). The technicians belief are confirmed by the findings the review of the current status of the training when compared to best-practice benchmarks discussed in this thesis.The study was conducted in one of the LNG companies located in Qatar. The operations management believed that the quality of the Operators and Technicians needed to be enhanced to match that of its counterparts (reputable companies in the same business). The technician's belief is confirmed by the findings the review of the current status of the training when compared to best-practice benchmarks discussed in this thesis.The objective of this study, as a recap, is to compare QP training with major Oil and Gas companies in the GCC and to identify the gaps, with the emph asis being placed on O/G Operators and Technicians training.

Hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hinduism - Essay Example Vedas are meant to guide all the Hindus. The religion has really expanded its wings worldwide since its initiation. It is believed that consecration to the religion even interfered with the British stranglehold. This essay explains some of the facts and issues concerning Hinduism ritual. Hinduism is believed to have started in the Indus valley and a larger percentage of followers are found in India. Most of the facts and important issues about Hinduism are preserved in the Vedas. The Aryans took with them the Persian and the Western concepts to the Hindu culture. Hindu’s divinity were said to be normal supremacies of heaven and earth and they revered their gods via conducting animal sacrifices (Matthews 72-74). The Aryans’ gods were shining objects which portrayed nice things for human beings. Hindus believe that Asuras are evil powers that signify hurtful things to humans. Intermingling of Aryans and the natives (Dravidians) led to sharing of rites and customs with the natives. However, most of the Hindus rituals are majorly formed by the Aryans’ culture and practices. The Aryan practices dominated the Davidians for reasons not known. Some scholars blame the Aryans dominant culture on stratification while others think that the Aryans were just superior to the natives (Rinehart 123-127). There are four collections of the Vedas and the popular Veda is known as the Ring Veda. Other Vedas include the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Artharva Veda. These Vedas have many different roles in the religion. For instance, some Vedas contain prayers and other information regarding devotion while others have people’s daily worries such as lust (Matthews 75-80). The Vedas are regarded as the basis and the roots for Hinduism since they contain variety of clarifications concerning the religion. The Hindus’ leaders are called Brahmins who execute rites under their powers. Brahmins have the responsibility of inspiring devotees and influence other people worldwide to favor their religion (Rinehart 123-127). Hindus have several gods that include the Agni that ascend from Purusha and the Indra deity, the Soma which is regarded as very important god and finally the Varina who is considered as the preserver of truth. There are some groups that branched from the original Hinduism such as Upanishads. Contemporarily, Hinduism has established four main goals which they regard as important in pursuing the peak of release in their lifespan. Hindus regard Dharma as the right way of living and studying to achieve lasting happiness while Karma is considered as the law of cause and effect (Matthews 75-80). Bhagavad Gita came up with distinct tracks for Hindu devotees to walk through. Bhagavad Gita was followed by the Puranas and the Tantaras which have engrained detailed information regarding the divinities and service to the deities. Hinduism is a very unique religion which greatly honors the Vedas as well as traditional customs and practices unlike the Western religions that believe in the progress of events since their initiation. Hinduis believe that there are cycles of events that take place in their religion and that whatever is exact for the universe also applies to mankind (Fuller 62-65). The most interesting things about Hinduism are their rituals and symbols. Just like any other religion from across the world, rites and rituals are very important aspects of the religion. These rites and rituals play vital role in identification of the religion in question. To Hindus, most of these customs are compulsory but very flexible since devotees in different regions follow different customs. These rituals further ensure that the devotees do not go off the spiritual life

anorexia :: essays research papers

We all know that action is the key to success, and we always try to be the very best. But in a world that will try to knock you down you must have the strength to survive the final round. Growing up today you have to be wise because its hard to tell the truth when its covered by the lies. The world can be cruel and the world can be kind, but you had better step up or you'll be left behind. This is some of a poem that one of my friends from my support group had shared on the first day. But I shouldn't get to far ahead of myself, my name is Ender Olson, and I suffer from a very serious disorder, it is called anorexia. Some may say that anorexia is not that serious, but it changed my life, and many others. It started around when I was 13, I had never really had to worry about my weight, I had a fast digestive system, and I never seemed to gain weight. But when I hit puberty things seemed to change. My body was growing, and I started to put on weight, but this didn't bother me at all, and why should it have. But it started to in the summer of 1996, it was at summer camp, we had swimming, and it was mandatory. But unlike most of the kids I had no problem with this, I was a strong swimmer and enjoyed it allot. I got to my swim class and sat down. It was a very warm day, a day that I would remember for a long time. Well we all sat on the dock listing to them give instructions on what to do and stuff like that. But I was hot, so I took off my shirt, first mistake. The girls sitting across from me stared at me and were whispering to each other, but I had no idea what they were saying. So I did the class but as I got out of the water I was behind the two girls. They were laughing, the first one said "Did you see that guy, he had bigger boobs then you did." So I assumed they were talking about me. The signs all pointed that way, and that was the first time a person ever called me fat, and I was assured to make it my last.

Marxism as an Alternative theory

The contrasting social divide of 19th century Europe was one of the principle-instigating factor that inspired Karl Marx and Frederick Engels to come with Communist Manifesto in 1848. It called upon the working classes to declare war upon the bourgeoisie. In the opinion of Marx, capitalism with its inherent tendency to favor property accumulation, market system and wage labor system had always worked in promoting the clout and wealth of aristocracy while working to weaken the peasants class and sending them to the levels of subservience and just subsistence (Freedman, 1990, 1).The philosophy was a major intellectual achievement of Marxism as it described the ills and problems affecting the society not in terms of faulty ideology and philosophy but in the   terms of economic forces of capitalist development (Aune, 1994, 17). As Freedman (1990, 2) states, Marx viewed the major conflicts and events of world not as consequences of ethnic, lingual or religious factors but purely through economic perspectives. He argued that capitalism and its resultant class system have been the main instrumental factors in creating the present structure of human society and behavior.  Marxism attempts to correlate the entire progress and evolution of human civilization with Marx’s staunch view that economic factors have determined the history of humanity. It attempts to understand the origin, functioning and structure of all the social institutions on economic models and assumes that once this knowledge is gained, it can be employed to recreate the social order that is beneficial for every member of society, while eliminating the ills of poverty, inequality and class distinctions (ibid).Marxism also views state (government) as an instrument of the ruling class that works to protect the interests of the economically prosperous segments at the cost of the working population (Freedman, 1990, 2). The premises of this argument lies in the fact that typically every state is in fluenced heavily by the rich and wealthy section of society and as such its policies are inherently oriented towards safeguarding these affluent sections. The working-lower class is just treated as a tool to further the riches of this affluent section, while providing them with bare facilities that are hardly sufficient to maintain their existence.School and churches are also viewed as extending arms of the same system that continuously works to maintain, and in fact, promote the social divide. Thus nation and state are essentially nothing but exploiters of working population. As a consequence, terms like patriotism and nationalism hold no meaning to the oppressed working society, which is made to work not the for the benefit of the nation but for the few and selected elite group of people that in their limited numbers represent an entire nation.A careful study of Marxism reveals following three major elements that define the structure of the world of Marx (Heilbroner, 1980, 21).Mat erialist approach to History: The historical analysis of activities of people’s activities that creates conditions of subsequent class emergence and struggle of present times.General view of capitalism: Capitalism, and the economic forces that are the root of entire social divideCommitment to socialism: It envisions a future where every man is able to create a just world through his own efforts and commitment.Marxism, in its zealous criticism of the capitalist system, pronounced the immanent end through of capitalistic society through t its own contradictions and an eventual sweep over of the world by socialist forces. However capitalism has survived and contrary to Marx’s vision, it has become mainstay of democratic and developed world, whereas Marxism holds it appeal for the poor and oppressed classes in underdeveloped countries (Freedman, 1990, 2)Mainstream Political theoriesThe mainstream political theories have evolved from Machiavellian concepts to one that is fo cused on a welfare state that is founded around the concepts of participative democracy and social justice (Young, 1998, 479). As listed by Young (ibid) the mainstream political theories, developed consciously over last 25 years, although with inputs spanning over past hundred and fifty years, areSocial justice and welfare rights theory: Unlike Marxist theory of handing over the reins of government to workers, the social justice and welfare rights theory attempts to strike a cord of balance among different economic classes with their commitment to social equality and economic justice. One of major themes running through this theory is egalitarian distribution of resources to people who have been deprived of them, it doesn’t attempts forced equality among all classes of society.  Democratic theory: Also labeled as participative democratic theory, it lays emphasis on a concept of democracy that proceeds through age long ideals of democracy that proceed through active discussi on, participation and decision making by citizen, against the emerging plebiscite and inter-group pluralist concepts of the democratic mode (Pateman, 1970). The theory aims to achieve the goal of social equality through democratic participation that both helps as well as promotes social equality. The thrust of the theory is that a democracy that only provides voting rights to people for representatives who rule them remotely lacks the element of a real democracy. Instead the democratic set up should be made to incorporate citizen’s participation at every stage of the governance and decision making process. This in turns demands providing all the citizens with sufficient levels of education and economic and social uplifting whereby they are able to appreciate and exercise their democratic rights.Feminist political theory: It is a major emergent trend in the mainstream political theories, and one that brings in the question of female participation, as a separate entity, in the working of democracy. It helps in to integrate the elements of family relations, sexual biases, and gendered related discrimination in the political question.Marxism as an alternative theoryAs noted above, the essential philosophy Marxism lies in defining all the historical and social events in terms of manipulation of resources by capitalist forces that worked in depriving a majority of population from basic means of living. Marxist approach viewed social structure in terms of non-owning workers and non-working owners that was the root cause of every social and political evil. Marx defined all the events in form of ‘class struggle’ and placed supreme faith in human will (Freedman, 1990, 6).Marxism views human beings capable of molding their own destinies, creating their own world, and change the entire structure of a oppressive society to one where every one holds same dignity and right to a provisioned life. However its more than hundred years to Marx’s momento us work Das Capital that predicted downfall of bourgeois and capitalist system, an event which completely failed to materialize (Wolfe, 1985, 317). It points out to some considerable short sighting or inappropriate reading by Marx of the nature of interaction of social and economic forces.Marx, in predicting the immanent downfall of the existing capitalist system through popular revolution and protests by bourgeoisie, had given a sweeping and generalizing theory that was supposed to take into every possible factor and consequence of historical, social and human events. The theories of Ricardo, Hegel and Smith that Marx used to develop his own general explanation of all events were relatively semi –developed and in the transitory phase (Freedman, 1990, 126) and as could provide a very weak base to the daring presumptions and foresights that Marxism professed boldly.The theory failed to take into account the results of people’s will to act outside the boundaries that it imposed. It was, in a sense then, technically incapable to address issues emanating from this scenario, a flaw that later on emerged as a major shortcoming of the entire Marxist model.Marxism always stands in direct contrast to critical theory that was developed by Max Horkheimer in 1937 (Therborn, 1996). It was mean to be a critique of the theory of political economy and provide replacement of materialism embedded in the Marxist approach (ibid). Critical theory rejected the principles of division of labor and believes in social advances through meaningful and coordinated interaction among various classes, as against the Marxist approach of inherent and inevitable class struggle that has shaped up historyHistorical MaterialismIn the Marxist philosophical approach, history is a study in the development and evolution of the capitalist system. In the opinion of Marx the consciousness of a man is the product of his social being which defines the legal and political superstructures (Heil broner, 1980, 62). The materialism of Marxism differed sharply from idealism contained in the other approaches that saw history as product of different beliefs and approaches. Marx clearly stated that history is the product of labor, efforts and determination of countless men and women who worked to improve their material conditions in a material environment.Primarily what it signifies is that entire history of world is composed of forces of economics and compulsions of existence through limited resources. The thought processes and ideas that have been assumed to shape history, in Marxist ideology, were themselves product of the materialistic conditions (Heilbroner, 1980, 63). Marxism further takes the concept of materialism and intertwines it with class structure to lay the foundation of theory of class struggle that is presented as a direct consequence of material forces in operation.Although the historical materialistic view point of Marxist philosophy had been validated in defin ing some of the major events of history, however its broad generalization of economic activities has brought it under criticism from many theorists. Whereas Marxist ideology attempts to focus not primarily but only on economic factors, it has been perceived that even economic factors themselves are affected by social, political and religious factors (Heilbroner, 1980, 64).Marxism in context of USAAs a political and social theory Marxism has traditionally failed materialize in the USA. This is because the socialist theory of Marxism conflicts with the principles and ideals of democracy. Although it is true that true socialism as envisioned by Marx was never practiced anywhere, but the fact remains that within the scope of political models of Marxism there are ample opportunities for a political system to become authoritarian, culminating in kind of dictatorship that was hallmark of socialist USSR government (Geras, 1994). This is to say, the socialist structure proposed by Marxism is seriously vulnerable to deformation by individuals with such designs.However, within the framework of classical Marxism also democratic ideas have not found much support. Essentially Marxism advocates liberation and rule of workers, which has to occur independent of any form of government (ibid). Therefore it is indeed successful in outlining the process of social and political change but falters on the final form of governance that opens the doors for ambiguity, deformation and misinterpretation. This severely limits the democratic angle of Marxism.Further, with its sole emphasis on workers right and class struggle between proletariat and the bourgeois, Marxist ideology aims to create a society that lacks economic incentives to evolve and move ahead. In its aim to bring marginalized sections of society in the center, the model threatens to create a new section of marginalized. These inherent ideological differences with free, democratic and progressive ideals that USA has cherishe d since its independence define the incongruity of Marxism in the USA’s political, social and economic atmosphere.ReferenceAune JA ,1994,   Rhetoric and Marxis, Westview Press, Boulder, COFreedman, R, 1990, The Marxist System: Economic, Political, and Social Perspectives.Chatham House Publishers, Chatham, NJ.Heilbroner, RL, 1980,   Marxism, for and Against,W. W. Norton. New York. Young, IM,   1998, A New Handbook of Political Science. Edit, Robert E. Goodin – editor, Hans-Dieter Klingeman, Oxford University Press. Oxford.Geras, N. 1994. Democracy and the Ends of Marxism. New Left Review Volume: a. Issue: 203.PATEMAN, C. 1970. Participation and Democratic Theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University PressWolfe, BD,1985,   Marxism, One Hundred Years in the Life of a Doctrine. Westview Boulder, CO.Therborn, G, Dialectics of Modernity, 1996, On Critical Theory and the Legacy of Twentieth-Century Marxism, New Left Review. Volume: a. Issue: 215.

Battle of Olustee in the Civil War