Why dogs live less than human!

Why dogs live less than human! Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dogs owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle.I examined Belker and found he was dying. I told the family we couldnt do anything for Belker and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belkers family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.The little boy seemed to accept Belkers transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belkers death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, I know why.Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. Id never heard a more comforting explanation.He said, People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right? The six-year-old continued, Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they dont have to stay as long.Author UnknownIf a dog was your teacher, these are some of the lessons you might learn:When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.Thrive on attention and let people touch you.When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.Never pretend to be something you’re not.If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently .

Divorce Is Good Or Bad - 2120 Words

In today’s society, it is common to meet a person who has experienced a parents’ divorce. Due to my own experience of coming from a divorced family, I have also met several children who have the same experience as I do. The increase of divorce is becoming the norm among families. It has become fairly easy to get a divorce in today’s world. Many parents have different views on whether divorce is good or bad. Contrary to the claim of parents’ views that divorce causes negative effects on children, divorce should be accepted in today’s society in order for the children to grow up in a peaceful environment, bonding with their parents’ in a neutral ground. The ideal roles of women have changed greatly in the past decades. In the past, women were expected to stay at home with their children, clean the house, and cook hot dinners while the husband went to work. The gender roles that are assigned at birth are still expected every day. In households the gender roles are still being applied such as the wife doing the laundry and the husband doing the mechanical work. However, in today’s society more women are entering the workforce rather than staying home accomplishing the roles assigned to women. The fathers have a job but are going home to a different household. According to a Relationship Counseling Center, disagreeing upon gender roles in the household â€Å"can cause conflict within the marriage and eventually lead to a separation and/or divorce† (Langham). It is important to haveShow MoreRelatedWhy A Good Divorce Is Better Than A Bad Marriage For Kids1747 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Why a Good Divorce Is Better Than a Bad Marriage for Kids†concurs when she notes ,†If you stay married for the sake of your children, you expose them to daily arguments, negative undercurrents, shouting, possible violence, and an atmosphere that is in no way calm and peaceful. This has a huge impact on your child† (Sember). In other words, she asserts that the children are exposed to negative conflict from their parent’s. The children will be affected if they stay together. Even though divorce providesRead MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Children And Teens1402 Words   |  6 PagesDivorce is one of the most common happenings in the world experienced by children. Most children go through different adjustments to become comfortable with the fact that their parents are not together anymore. Children of divorced parents are prone to lifelong effects. Seventy-five to eighty percent of children have divorced parents and twenty-five percent of those children have serious social, emotional, or psycholo gical problems for the rest of their life. Most adults think that it is best forRead MoreDivorce Causes in the United States Essay523 Words   |  3 Pagesmaintaining a family.†Marriages dont always last in divorce. Some spouses are unable to maintain or keep their relationship, so they divorce. when any couple wants to get married they should have something in common and share the same values, religion, beliefs or interest , so that they can minimize bad ending as break up .Divorce has physical and mental health effects especially on children and women and it can affect the whole society. Divorce between parents can be disastrous and painful onRead MoreWhat Is Breaking The Love Into Two Essay1159 Words   |  5 PagesSpreading The Love Into Two Doesn’t parent separation sound like such a bad thing? When parents get divorced, doesn’t it feel like the end of the world? When parents get a divorce they are not the only ones breaking up, it’s the whole family, right? Wrong. In most cases everyone would agree parent separation is a tragic time for a family. Although, not all scenarios makes parent separation seem so bad. In cases where a child might experience a lot of pain and suffering from their parents being togetherRead MoreTaking a Look at Divorce1420 Words   |  6 PagesDivorce is viewed differently by many people. Sometimes this is due to experiences, what others have said, or looking at studies that are not always accurate. However, not everyone can have the same views about marriage ending in divorce. In the article, â€Å"No Easy Answers: Why the Popular View of Divorce Is Wrong† by Constance Ahrons she shows her view on divorce. Ahrons believes that divorce does not have long-lasting dama ging effects on children (65). Divorce can affect children in the family butRead MoreStruggling with the Idea of Divorce in Constance Matthiessens Article, Harry Potter and Divorce Among the Muggles747 Words   |  3 Pages Divorce it may be an Option! New research into the effects of divorce is slowly bringing around a more common belief that with the appropriate actions the effects divorce has on children can be minimized. Constance Matthiessen writes the article Harry Potter and Divorce Among the Muggles which helps to give a more personal view point into some of the thought processes and ways a parent may struggle with the idea of a divorce. The desire to shield children fromRead MoreDivorce Is The Best Or Worst For Kids?1093 Words   |  5 Pagesand difficulties in marriages that could end in divorce. Divorce is more of a normal thing, more than half of the marriages end up in divorce. (Weaver Schofield, 2014) This is quite a large number of divorces considering that there are millions of people that live in the United States. Divorce is not always the easiest solution when ending a marriage, along with divorce comes stress, psychological issues and sometimes even strengths. While divorce is often hard on the couple, if the re are any childrenRead MoreDivorce Is A Normative Event1108 Words   |  5 Pagesthat could end in divorce. According to Weaver (2014), â€Å"In today’s world, divorce is a normative event, affecting approximately half of all marriages in the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004.)† (p.39) This is quite a large number of divorces considering that there is millions of people that live in the United States. Divorce is not always the easiest solution when ending a marriage, along with divorce comes stress, psychological issues and sometimes even strengths. While divorce is often hard onRead MoreDivorce Is A Huge Issue Of Concern1622 Words   |  7 PagesDivorce is a huge issue of concern in the UK as in the rate in which couples divorce is rapidly increasing . More than half of the couples in the UK had at least one child aged under 16 in 2007.The number of divorces in England and wales have increased to a total of 118,140 divorces in 2012, which is an increase of 0.5 percent since 2011.Statistics showed that women were allowed 65 percent of all divorces , 9,703 men and 6,026 women aged over 60 got divorced. It has also shown that 42 percent ofRead MoreHow Divorce Is Affected By The Separation940 Words   |  4 PagesDivorce is never an easy subject, and is hurtful despite the specific conditions. When going through a divorce it is very important to know the effects that it can have on children. Divorce, in most cases, depending on the circumstance, will have a negative effect on children. Some of the results after a divorce can leave a child in short or long term situations. Adults tend to recover and move on to a new relationship, but the effects on children can be more long term (â€Å"Are†). More and more parents

Origins Of The Middle Eastern Dance - 1181 Words

Due to culture, different countries have their different ways of life. This reflects their beliefs, values, religion, attitude, social habits, music, dance and more. Dance differs from country to country although a dance could be practiced in other countries. In the Middle Eastern part of the world, they have a famous type of dance called the â€Å"Belly Dance†. The Middle Eastern dance is an umbrella term that consists of all dances of the Middle East and its neighboring areas from both the past and present. However it’s also a term usually used to refer to Raqs Sharqi or â€Å"belly dance† and its various styles, offshoots, and predecessors. Many scholars believe that Raqs Sharqi stems from older dances. It is known to be one of the world’s oldest dances with theories relating it to ancient dances in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Persia, India and other ancient civilizations. Middle Eastern dance have many histories and origins. It is possible that this dance can be traced back to Mesopotamia where temples engraving depicting dancers have been found. These same types of depiction have been found on temples in Egypt dating back to 1000 B.C. and in Greece. It is whispered by many that this dance started as an ancient ritual dance for fertility and childbirth. The priestesses were sometime â€Å"sacred prostitutes† where they would perform these dances for clients as they invoked the Goddess. The modern version of belly dance only goes back to the 1900’s when it was modified as a stageShow MoreRelatedThe Culture Of The Middle East1476 Words   |  6 PagesIt is noted that every Middle Eastern Country are publicly fascinated of the Dabke dance. Each of the Middle Eastern nation claims they are the best at dancing Dabke. They also claim to have to have invented the dance (Hussein, 2016). However, there is the truth and reality behind the dance. Dabke is also referred to as Dabka or even Dabkeh. It is those names that the Middle Eastern people refer to the actual dance that is normally used by different dialect. The dance is universal irrespective ofRead MoreCulture Of The Kurds : Culture1531 Words   |  7 PagesThis would make them the fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East. Although the Kurds adhere to a number of different religions and creeds, they are considered a race of people with a unique history that separate themselves from the surrounding cultu res of the middle east due to their differing religious beliefs, cuisine, dance, crafts, and geopolitics. Who They Are The Kurds have occupied the now north-eastern Syria, south-eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, north-western Iran and south-westernRead MoreAnalysis Of Dance And The Dance World2137 Words   |  9 Pagesbellydance has on dance and the dance world, it’s history must be explained. Belly dance is one of the oldest, if not the oldest dance form known to have existed. The origin of this dance is said to be in Egypt, Turkey and India. Much debate goes on about where people believe that it came from but the truth is, with so many forms of this dance sprouting from the main, there is no specific enough place where this style of dance can be said to have originated. The origin of the name â€Å"belly dance† is said toRead MoreThe Double Standard Of Cultural Appropriation : What Is Wrong With Your Favorite Pop Stars?1474 Words   |  6 Pagesher forehead, a Hindu religious symbol. She has been asked to apologize on numerous occasions but refuses to do so and continues to wear a bind i despite international criticism. The biggest issue with cultural appropriation is when â€Å"it belittles the origin culture, in a way that trivializes an entire way of life, turning it into an accessory† but â€Å"regardless [pop stars] should know what cultural appropriation is and they do not get to decide if they are being offensive† (Duca, The Huffington Post).Read MoreTaking a Look at Capoeira and Belly Dancing1140 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout history, dance has served as a form that performs and embodies the cultural values of the society it is in. The idea of dance varies within intellectual traditions and develops to a wider concept of movement practices within individual cultures. Dance can be looked upon as a culturally formed activity that offers information about human behavior in a certain society. Dance has also served to disrupt the cultural values in a society due to cultural evolution and cultural migration. Read MoreThe Symbols Of The 1920s9 34 Words   |  4 Pagesthis economic growth swept many Americans into an affluent but unfamiliar â€Å"consumer society.† People from coast to coast bought the same goods (thanks to nationwide advertising and the spread of chain stores), listened to the same music, did the same dances and even used the same slang. Many Americans were uncomfortable with this new, urban, sometimes racy â€Å"mass culture†; in fact, for many–even most–people in the United States, the 1920s brought more conflict than celebration. However, for a small handfulRead MoreThe Bhar Tribe1431 Words   |  6 Pagesservice or menial class. Bhar is one such clan which had glorious history in medieval period,. As IT is evident from the origin of its name, Bhar was a warrior tribe which created its own history but slowly disappeared from pages of history. The Bhar formed small kingdoms in the Eastern UP region, until they were disposed by invading  Rajput  and  Muslim  groups i n the later  middle ages. The  Bhar, also known as  Rajbhar,  Bharat  and  Bharpatwa, is a community of more than 1.7 million people residing mainlyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Hot Nigga Essay1590 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"What’s that about?† I enquired after hearing the phrase for the fourth time that day. After finding amusement in my lack of awareness of the phrase and its origin, my cousins took pity on me and explained. They played the hip hop song â€Å"Hot Nigga,’ then proceeded to show me the weird dance move that accompanied it, called the â€Å"Shmoney Dance,† where they bent one leg at a time, in sync with lowered arms and their fists clenched. â€Å"But why?† I had asked. My cousins then told me of the popularity ofRead MoreThe Electronic Sound : A World Of Massive Technological Development1703 Words   |  7 Pagesreviewing the global expansion and acceptance of the genre worldwide throughout the years, will collectively work towards summarizing what EDM/house music is as a whole. To fully understand the present forms of electronic music one must look back at the origins of the sound entirely. Technically the birth of this music took place in the 1960s upon the creations of the first electronic synthesizers, specifically the Moog synthesizer; however, the socially adopted birth came in the 70s with the creation ofRead MoreWhat Factors Played A Role In The Death And Life Of A Language?.1710 Words   |  7 Pagesthe factors that lead to the death and life of a language. Origin of language There are two different views on how human beings we were able to begin communicating with language. Historians believe that the first known communication between man was cave paintings. The paintings consist of signs and drawings of human hunting animals. Evidence suggests that the paintings were used as a story liner. They re also could have been a tribal dance with drums and smoke signals. Then came along petroglyphs

Smartphone Industry Free Essays

Executive summary Smartphones have ushered in a new generation of modern communication. The report investigates the computing capabilities of smartphones, and their ability to support several multimedia applications. The report discusses that fact the smartphone industry has rapidly grown over the last two decades. We will write a custom essay sample on Smartphone Industry or any similar topic only for you Order Now Currently, rapid transformation is taking place and competition to control the lucrative market has increased. The report considers whether the market segment is controlled by a few major players . The reports investigates patent issues amongst the major players The PESTLE framework is used to analyse the business environment in the smartphone market. Porter’s Five Forces is also used to evaluate the rivalry and power of the individual players within the smartphone industry. Introduction According to Ahson and Ilayas (2006), a smartphone is a form of mobile device that integrates the characteristics of a phone and a PDA. A smartphone offers more advanced connectivity and computing capabilities. Smartphones have the ability to access the Internet and support several multimedia applications. Smartphones achieve the capabilities of a Personal Computer technology and a traditional phone (Ahson and Ilayas, 2006). They enable users to add, install, and delete hundreds of applications. Users can also personalize the interface. They have ushered the present society into an era of ubiquitous information. The report examines the global-local aspects of the smartphone industry, specifically the patent wars. It also provides an analysis of the smartphone industry using the PESTLE framework. The report further provides an evaluation of the rivalry and power among the smartphone players. It discusses the competitive advantage within the smartphone industry. Global-local aspects of the smartphone industry. Smartphones; Markets and growth trends Park, et al (2011) hypothesize that the mobile phone industry has witnessed a significant change in the last 15 years. In the last decade, Nokia was the world’s leading manufacturer of mobile phones. Since then, Nokia has been dislodged from the leading position by the new smartphone companies such as Apple, Samsung, and LG. The success of these companies is due to the introduction of new modern and innovative approaches to the ease of use of hardware and an improved user interface design (Park et al 2011). Himmelsbach (2013) argues that, in the recent years, the smartphone industry has witnessed radical transformation and altered competitive situation. The major players in the market segment include Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Sony, LG, HTC, Nokia, Research in Motion, Microsoft, and Google (Park et al 2011). . There are also other indirect players such as Qualcomm and Cirrus Logic. The intense competition among the market players has led to large volumes of complex and mostly multi-jurisdiction patent litigation (Himmelsbach, 2013). The economic downturn caused the traditional global phone market to enter recession (Ahson and Ilayas, 2006). However, the smartphone market has been growing rapidly (Himmelsbach 2013). Major players have expanded their total sales due to the growing number of smartphone users and the reduced prices. Smartphone industry PESTLE analysis (Henry, 2008). Factor Analysis Political analysis Political environment in some countries enable smartphone markers to flourish Political challenge in some countries, for instance, China, and India raised security concerns over some features provided by RIM’s BlackBerry. Roaming fees is relatively high in several countries Economic analysis The current prices of smartphones devices are fair although devices from some major manufacturers such as Apple are still considered to be expensive Slow economic growth and recession can affect the sale of smartphone devices Social analysis Some major smartphones brands symbolize high status. Innovation is increasing getting hard. Technological analysis The main rivalry is between Apple’s iOS and Android operating systems. Innovation is rapidly growing and each day, a new technology is invented. Environmental analysis Manufacturers are required to comply with various environmental standards. Legal analysis Patent lawsuits is increasing among the smartphone industry players. Patents in the smartphone industry. According to Hill et al (2014), the smartphone industry has experienced patent litigation for several years. In the past, voice telephony services such as speech compression technologies, network management and radio transmission were the main focus of patent litigation. More recently, patent litigation has broadened across a wider range of cellphone and mobile computing technologies. The major market players are continuously suing each other over a variety of smartphone patents. The role of patents in the smartphone industry is to protect a company’s investment in research and development (Hill et al 2014). After an examination of a patent, the owner is granted a monopoly license for the patented invention which is usually 20 years. Patents provide incentive to the owner company for its effort of bringing the innovative technology out of the research lab and into the market after an expensive and risky business. The Network Patent Analysis method indicates that large portion of the patent portfolio is held by Apple (Ferell and Fraedrich, 2014). Apple is slightly ahead of IBM and Microsoft. According to NPA, 16 out of the 20 patent are owned by Apple. NPA reveals several of the smartphone patent lawsuits are within the 16 unique clusters of inventions that are related. Hill, Jones and Schilling (2014) note that the majority of smartphones patent wars are related to mobile data access, touch screens and transmission of mobile data. Among the three clusters, each has different company or manufacturer dominating the patent portfolio. According to Hill, Jones and Schilling (2014), the mobile data access cluster is dominated by Research in Motion, while the touch screen cluster is dominated by Apple. Evaluation of the competitiveness (rivalry) and power of the individual players within the smartphone industry using Porter’s five forces. Smartphone devices have become part of many people’s lives. The market has been largely fractionalized. The transformation of the smartphone market has led to increased competition and rivalry. Different players are producing devices tailored for different market segments. Porter’s Five Forces can be used to understand the forces affecting the smartphones market from the manufacturers and users perspectives. The five components of Porter’s framework in relation to the smartphone industry is as follows. The threat of new entrants is low because the investment on the required technology needed to compete in this industry is high. Consumers purchase phones from incumbent companies with good reputation. This explains why Apple, and Samsung smartphones are the most popular in the market. The threat of substitutes is low because smartphones contain added functionalities from other digital electronic devices such as watches, digital cameras, cell phones, pager, and organizers, and laptops. The service provided by smartphones are sufficient as expected from a mobile device. The bargaining power of buyers is rated to be medium because the present smartphones market contains a variety of products from major brands for consumers to choose. The prices of smartphones have become relatively low. The bargaining power of suppliers is medium because of the reliance of mobile phone manufacturers on their suppliers. The manufactures acquire quality components from suppliers at competitive prices. Some smartphone operating systems such Android is open source. The smartphone industry is competitive with a few strong competitors (Boyes and Melvin, 2012). New entrants find it challenging to compete and gain in the market share which is dominated by major brands. However, some new smartphones manufacturers such as Sony and ZTE are rapidly gaining popularity and market share. Competitive advantage within the smartphone industry. The smartphone market is highly competitive, and it has experienced dramatic changes in the recent past. In 2007, Apple defeated BlackBerry from the leading position as the dominant smartphone maker Laffey (2011). Smartphone market competition has also been based on the two main operating systems, Google’s Android and Apples’ IOS (Park et al 2011). Apple has managed to take the leading position in the market because of its high specification products, integrated operating system and quality hardware (Laffey, 2011). Apple’s success is also attributed to its luxury brand image established during the reign of Steve Jobs Apple provides the eco-system of apps available online on Apple’s app-store platform (Park et al 2011). The Kindle Fire, an Amazon product is expected to challenge Apple by offering readerse new opportunities to access to Amazon’s online e-books store (Laffey, 2011). Amazon’s relationship with content providers will enable it secure the delivery of its apps and video content providing a new competition across the market segment (Laffey, 2011). The difference in pricing between Android and IOS phones has impacts on competition (Laffey, 2011). Most Android smartphones are affordable while some devices from Apple are less affordable. Apple benefits from a higher income from this (Laffey, 2011). Conclusion In summary, the current smartphone is no longer exclusive for early adopters. Streamlining of new innovations has led to increased competition and patent litigation. It is evident that the smartphone market is controlled by a few major smartphones makers. Smartphones have heralded a new era in the communication industry and changed several aspects of human lifestyle. New software makers need to develop an operating system to make a unique distinction in the current market. References Ahson, S. and Ilayas. (2006) Smartphones [online]. Intl. Engineering Consortium. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk [Accessed 4 April 2014] Boyes, W., and Melvin, M. (2012) Macroeconomics. Cengage Learning. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk[Accessed 4 April 2014] BBC (2010) ‘Leading mobile phone lose market share’, 10 November. Available from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11725411 [Accessed 4 April 2014] Egham (2012) ‘Gartner says worldwide smartphone sales soared in Fourth quarter of 2011 with 47 percent growth’. Garner [online]. 15 February. Available from: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/1924314 [Accessed 4 April 2014] Ferell, O., C., and Fraedrich, J. (2014) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making Cases [online]. Cengage Learning. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk[Accessed 4 April 2014] Henry, A. (2008) Understanding Strategic Management [online]. Oxford University Press. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk [Accessed 3 April 2014]. Himmelsbach, T. (2013) A Survey on Today’s Smartphone Usage [online]. GRIN Verlag. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk[Accessed 4 April 2014] Hill, C., Jones, G., and Schilling, M. (2014) Strategic Management: Theory Cases: An Integrated Approach [online]. Cengage Learning. Available from: http://books.google.co.uk[Accessed 4 April 2014] Laffey, D. (2011) Strategic issues in Tablets and Smartphones: An Agenda (Non-referred research note). Journal of Strategic Management Education 7(4): 287-290 Park, J., Yang, L., and Lee, C. (2011) Future Information Technology: 6th International Conference on Future Information Technology, FutureTech 2011, Crete, Greece, June 28-30, 2011. Proceedings [online]. Springer. Available at: http://books.google.co.uk [Accessed 4 April 2014] How to cite Smartphone Industry, Essay examples

Machiavelli Essays (426 words) - Italian Politicians, Philosophy

Machiavelli The first great political philosopher of the Renaissance was Nicolo Machiavelli (1469-1527). His famous treatise, The Prince, stands apart from all other political writings of the period insofar as it focus on the practical problems a monarch faces in staying in power, rather than more speculative issues explaining the foundation of political authority. As such, it is an expression of realpolitik, that is, governmental policy based on retaining power rather than pursuing ideals. Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy at a time when the country was in political upheaval. Italy was divided between four dominant city-states, and each of these was continually at the mercy of the stronger foreign governments of Europe. Since 1434 Florence was ruled by the wealthy Medici family. Their rule was temporarily interrupted by a reform movement, begun in 1494, in which the young Machiavelli became an important diplomat. When the Medici family regained power in 1512 with the help of Spanish troops, Machiavelli was tortured and removed from public life. For the next 10 years he devoted himself to writing history, political philosophy, and even plays. He ultimately gained favor with the Medici family and was called back to public duty for the last two years of his life. Machiavelli's greatest work is The Prince, written in 1513 and published after his death in 1532. The work immediately provoked controversy and was soon condemned by Pope Clement VIII. Its main theme is that princes should retain absolute control of their territories, and they should use any means of expediency to accomplish this end, including deceit. Scholars struggle over interpreting Machiavelli's precise point. In several section Machiavelli praises Caesar Borgia, a Spanish aristocrat who became a notorious and much despised tyrant of the Romagna region of northern Italy. During Machiavelli's early years as a diplomat, he was in contact with Borgia and witnessed Borgia's rule first hand. Some believe that Machiaveli saw Borgia as the model prince. Some readers initially saw The Prince as a satire on absolute rulers such as Borgia, which showed the repugnance of arbitrary power (thereby implying the importance of liberty). However, this theory fell apart when, in 1810, a letter by Machiavelli was discovered in which he reveals that he wrote The Prince to endear himself to the ruling Medici family in Florence. To liberate Italy from the influence of foreign governments, Machiavelli explains that strong indigenous governments are important, even if they are absolutist. Machiavelli played an important role in the political aspect of the Renaissance in northern Italy. His novel, The Prince, became the most famous political writing of this period. His ideas comparing a monarchy to a republic made him the first and probably best known political philosopher of the Renaissance. History

Running the Gamut and Running the Gauntlet

Running the Gamut and Running the Gauntlet Running the Gamut and Running the Gauntlet Running the Gamut and Running the Gauntlet By Maeve Maddox Two frequently confused expressions are â€Å"to run the gamut† and â€Å"to run the gauntlet.† Gamut originated as a medieval musical term. The word is still used to mean â€Å"the full range of notes that a voice or instrument can produce.† Figuratively, gamut means â€Å"the full range or scope of something.† For example, a person might â€Å"run the gamut of emotions from rage to despair.† Gauntlet derives from the French word for glove: gant. In the Middle Ages, a gauntlet was a reinforced glove, usually made of leather, covered with plates of steel. A medieval custom gave rise to figurative expressions still used in modern English: one knight would challenge another by throwing down one of his gauntlets. His opponent, if willing to fight, would pick up the gauntlet. From this custom derive the expressions â€Å"to cast the gauntlet,† â€Å"to fling down the gauntlet,† and â€Å"to throw down the gauntlet,† meaning, â€Å"to issue a challenge.† Likewise, modern speakers use the expression â€Å"to take up the gauntlet,† meaning â€Å"to accept a challenge.† The word gauntlet in the expression â€Å"to run the gauntlet† has nothing to do with the word for glove. It’s a corrupted form of the Swedish word gatlopp, which was borrowed into English with the meaning â€Å"military punishment in which the offender runs between rows of men who beat him in passing.† Early spellings of gatlopp in English were gantelope and gantlope. At the same time, gauntlet had the variant spellings gantelet and gantlet. Not surprisingly, the words came to be confused with one another: â€Å"to run the gantlope† became â€Å"to run the gantlet.† and eventually, â€Å"to run the gauntlet.† Purists object to the spelling gauntlet in the expression â€Å"to run the gauntlet.† Some stylebooks, notably Chicago and AP, support gantlet, but Paul Brians (Common Errors in English Usage), disposes of the gantlet version as a variant. On the Ngram Viewer chart beginning with 1800, â€Å"to run the gauntlet† is by far the more common form. The earliest citation of â€Å"to run the gauntlet† in the OED is dated 1676. Bottom line: â€Å"To run the gauntlet† is the more common version of the expression that means, â€Å"to run past a row of people who are trying to hurt you.† It can be used either literally or figuratively: Political prisoners in Tehran’s Evin prison have allegedly been forced to run a gauntlet of armed guards armed with batons. Kasich, if he is to run a successful race for president, will have to run the gauntlet of the Republican primaries first. What is not acceptable is mixing up â€Å"running the gauntlet† with â€Å"running the gamut.† The following examples are from printed books. The first two are from self-published novels, but the third- O tempora, O mores- is from a serious nonfiction book published by Penguin: INCORRECT: His emotions ran the gauntlet from  calm to sobbing quietly.  Mike Holst, The Last Trip Down the Mountain, iUniverse, 2011. CORRECT : His emotions ran the gamut from  calm to sobbing quietly.   INCORRECT: Their  experiences  ran the gauntlet from  Ã¢â‚¬Å"sadistic preferential† pedophiles, to serial killers who were depressive or enraged Bill Riveron, The Trojan Killer, AuthorHouse, 2011. CORRECT : Their  experiences  ran the gamut from  Ã¢â‚¬Å"sadistic preferential† pedophiles, to serial killers who were depressive or enraged INCORRECT: Treatment ran the gauntlet from kindness to torture. Deborah J. Swift, The Tin Ticket, Penguin, 2010 CORRECT : Treatment ran the gamut from kindness to torture. If an adverbial phrase follows â€Å"to run the gauntlet,† the most usual choices for the preposition to introduce it are past or through: Farragut  ran the gauntlet past  Vicksburgs guns 28 June. Men fell back on either side so that he  ran the gauntlet through  their ranks.    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:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should AvoidAbstract Nouns from Adjectives1,462 Basic Plot Types

Sociologists Take Historic Stand on Racism and Police Brutality

Sociologists Take Historic Stand on Racism and Police Brutality The 2014 annual meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA) took place in San Francisco on the heels of the killing of unarmed black teen, Michael Brown, at the hands of a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. It also happened during a community uprising shrouded in police brutality, so many sociologists in attendance had the national crises of police brutality and racism on their minds. The ASA, however, created no official space for discussion of these issues, nor had the 109-year-old organization made any kind of public statement on them, despite the fact that the amount of published sociological research on these issues could fill a library. Frustrated by this lack of action and dialog, some attendees created a grassroots discussion group and task force to address these crises. Neda Maghbouleh, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto-Scarborough, was one of those who took the lead. Explaining why, she said, â€Å"We had a critical mass of thousands of trained sociologists within two blocks of each other at ASA- equipped to marshal history, theory, data, and hard facts toward a social crisis like Ferguson. So ten of us, complete strangers, met for thirty minutes in a hotel lobby to hash out a plan to get as many concerned sociologists as possible to contribute to, edit, and sign a document. I was committed to helping in any way possible because it’s moments like these that affirm the value of social science for society.† The document† Dr. Maghbouleh refers to is an open letter to U.S. society at-large, that was signed by over 1,800 sociologists, this author among them. The letter began by pointing out that what transpired in Ferguson was born of â€Å"deeply ingrained racial, political, social and economic inequities,† and then specifically named the conduct of policing, especially in black communities and in the context of protest, as a serious social problem. The authors and signatories  implored â€Å"law enforcement, policymakers, media, and the nation to consider decades of sociological analysis and research that can inform the necessary conversations and solutions required to address the systemic issues that the events in Ferguson have raised.† The authors pointed out that much sociological research has already established the existence of society-wide problems present in the case of Ferguson, like â€Å"a pattern of racialized policing,† historically rooted â€Å"institutionalized racism within police departments and the criminal justice system more broadly,†Ã‚  the â€Å"hyper-surveillance of black and brown youth,† and the disproportionate targeting and disrespectful treatment of black men and women by police.  These troubling phenomena foster  suspicion about people of color, create an environment in which it is impossible for people of color to trust police, which in turn undermines the ability of police to do their job: serve and protect. The authors wrote, â€Å"Instead of feeling protected by police, many African Americans are intimidated and live in daily fear that their children will face abuse, arrest, and death at the hands of police officers who may be acting on implicit biases or institutional policies based on stereotypes and assumptions of black criminality.† They then  explained that brutal police treatment of protestors is â€Å"rooted in the history of repression of African American protest movements and attitudes about blacks that often drive contemporary police practices.† In response, sociologists called for â€Å"greater attention to the conditions (e.g., joblessness and political disenfranchisement) that have contributed to the marginalization of residents† of Ferguson and other communities, and explained that â€Å"focused and sustained government and community attention on these issues is required to bring about healing and a change in the economic and political structures that have thus far ignored and left many in such areas vulnerable to police abuse.† The letter concluded with a list of demands required for â€Å"an appropriate response to the death of Michael Brown,† and to address the larger, nation-wide issue of racist police policies and practices: Immediate assurance from law enforcement authorities in Missouri and the federal government that constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of the press will be protected.A civil rights investigation into the incidents related to the death of Michael Brown and general police practices in Ferguson.The establishment of an independent committee to study and analyze the failures of the policing efforts during the week following Michael Brown’s death. Ferguson residents, including leaders of grassroots organizations, should be included on the committee throughout this process. The committee must provide a clear roadmap for resetting community-police relations in a way that grants oversight power to residents.An independent comprehensive national study of the role of implicit bias and systemic racism in policing. Federal funding should be allocated to support police departments in implementing the recommendations from the study and ongoing monitoring and public reporting of key benchmarks (e.g., use of force, arrests by race) and improvements in police practices. Legislation requiring the use of dash and body-worn cameras to record all police interactions. Data from these devices should be immediately stored in tamper-proof databases, and there should be clear procedures for public access to any such recordings.Increased transparency of public law enforcement, including independent oversight agencies with guaranteed full access to law enforcement policies and on-the-ground operations; and more streamlined, transparent and efficient procedures for the processing of complaints and FOIA requests.Federal legislation, currently being developed by Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), to halt the transfer of military equipment to local police departments, and additional legislation to curtail the use of such equipment against domestic civilian populations.Establishment of a ‘Ferguson Fund’ that will support long term strategies grounded in the principles of social justice, systems reform and racial equity to bring about substantial and sustained c hange in Ferguson and other communities facing similar challenges. To learn more about the underlying issues of systemic racism and police brutality, check out The Ferguson Syllabus compiled by  Sociologists for Justice. Many of the readings included are available online.