Bertie Ahern Essay

Bertie Ahern is present Prime Minister, or Taoiseach, of Ireland, heading the Irish government since 1997. Ahern is a prominent statesman of European stature with great political acumen and wisdom that has helped him to successfully manage a potentially volatile coalition of multiple parties and many independent candidates. Ahern has an illustrious political career where he served as minister of Labor and Minister of Finance in the governments of Charles Haughey and Albert Reynolds. Ahern’s electioneering skills and party management capabilities have been universally praised, being a prominent factor in his rise to the highest position in Irish government. Political Baptism Born in 1951, Bertie Ahern was well groomed politically since his younger days due to an intensely political environment at his home . His father had fought in Irish War of Independence and the Civil War and Bertie closely observed the events, gaining crucial understanding of the complexity and challenges of Irish political system. Although professionally Ahern took the job of accountant, but his political inclination was evidently manifest when he joined Fianna Fail in 1968, at a young age of 17 . In the campaign for Fianna Fail in 1969 general elections, Ahern was spotted by senior party leader Charles Hughey, who was much impressed by the youngster’s electioneering abilities, political maneuvers, capacity of resource management and brilliance for political logistics . The first creditable evidence of Ahern’s electioneering brilliance was registered in his own landslide win in 1977 in his very first effort for elected office. His party had also scored a large win in the Irish parliament and although young and inexperienced by age, Ahern developed a close association with Hughey, who had become a stalwart of politician and one of the strongest competitors for the post of Prime Minister. Ahern was recognized for his talents by being appointed as Assistant-Government Chief Whip. The tumultuous political conditions of Ireland saw it facing election both in the year 1981 and 1982. Ahern was successful in increasing his own victory margin each time, while his canvassing for the party, his handling of party-men and his abilities in mobilizing them did not fail to impress senior party leaders. Fianna Fail lost the elections of 1982 and had to sit in opposition till 1987, a time that saw Ahern’s increasing influence and growth as a seasoned party man and political leader . Ahern was appointed party’s spokesperson and got elected as Mayor of Dublin. In 1987 Ahern’s electioneering abilities were once again on display when he campaigned along with Hughey, Reynolds, and MacSharry and Fianna Fail returned to power. Ahern worked closely in developing the party manifesto that would appeal to largest number of electorates. Eventually Charles Hughey became Taoiseach and Ahern was given the cabinet post for labor . His negotiation skills coruscated in this capacity as well when he became instrumental in introducing various trade related reforms, collaborating with trade unions, and creating the consensus for national economic agreement. Ireland saw another election in 1989, where Fail party lost several seats and lost its marginal lead in the parliament. To form the government Fail had to enter into a coalition with other parties, a step that many party-men deeply resented and opposed. However, Charles Hughey knew that in the capacity of Ahern he had a truly gifted negotiator and campaign manager with abilities correct the complex political equation and help his party form the government again.

Free Essays on The Battle Of Leyte Gulf

The last great battleship engagement in history was the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. By late 1944, it was starting to become obvious that desperate measures were needed to be taken to stop the onslaught of the United States Navy. The strength of the U.S. Navy had been growing at an alarming rate, and to make matters worse, nearly every time the Japanese navy had fought with the U.S. navy the Japanese took a terrible beating. The fall of the Philippines would be a terrible blow to the Japanese, but they had no way to prevent it. After the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Japan only had a handful of planes and even fewer pilots to fly them. Because of this, there carriers were totally useless, except if they were used as decoys. This was the basis of Japan’s brilliant plan. They would lure the powerful and dangerous Third Fleet under Admiral Nimitz away to chase the empty aircraft carriers. Then, they would ambush the slow and unarmored Seventh Fleet, under General MacArthur. Admiral Ozawa would steam down from the north with the â€Å"bait.† If the Third Fleet took the â€Å"bait,† the surface units of the Japanese Navy under Admiral Kurita would attempt to spring a deadly trap. A small force consisting of two battleships, a heavy cruiser, and four destroyers would sneak through the Surigao Strait, followed by three more cruisers and four destroyers sailing in from Japanese home waters. However the main force would sail from Brunei consisting of five battleships, twelve cruisers, and fifteen battleships. They would sneak through the San Bernardino Strait, loop around the island of Samar, and smash the Americans. The Japanese would fight a fleet that consisted of 151 LSTs (landing ships, tank), 58 transports, 221 LCTs (landing craft, tank) and 79 LCIs (landing craft, infantry), and hundreds of other vessels in five battles. The first stage of the Japanese Navy’s trap did not go so well. As they advanced up the Pal...

Biography of Andy Warhol, Icon of Pop Art

Biography of Andy Warhol, Icon of Pop Art Andy Warhol (born Andrew Warhola; Aug. 6, 1928–Feb. 22, 1987) was one of the most important artists of pop art, a genre that became popular in the second half of the 20th century. Though he is best remembered for his mass-produced paintings of Campbells soup cans, he created hundreds of other works ranging from commercial advertisements to films. His best-known work, including the soup cans, reflected his views on the banality that he saw in the commercial culture of America. Fast Facts; Andy Warhol Known For: Pop artAlso Known As: Andrew WarholaBorn: Aug. 6, 1928 in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaParents: Andrej and Julia WarholaDied: Feb. 22, 1987 in New York, New YorkEducation: Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University)Published Works: Commercial illustrations, paintings, filmsï » ¿Notable Quote: I just happen to like ordinary things. When I paint them, I dont try to make them extraordinary. I just try to paint them ordinary-ordinary. Early Life and Education Andy Warhol was born on Aug. 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and grew up there with his older brothers, Paul and John, and his parents, Andrej and Julia Warhola, both of whom had emigrated from Czechoslovakia (now called Slovakia). Devout Byzantine Catholics, the family regularly attended Mass and observed their Eastern European heritage. Even as a young boy, Warhol liked to draw, color, and cut and paste pictures. His mother, who was also artistic, encouraged him by giving him a chocolate bar every time he finished a page in his coloring book. Elementary school was traumatic for Warhol, especially once he contracted Sydenhams chorea, also known as St. Vitus dance, a disease that attacks the nervous system and makes the sufferer shake uncontrollably. Warhol missed a lot of school during several month-long periods of bed rest. Additionally, large, pink blotches on Warhols skin, also from the disorder, didnt help his self-esteem or acceptance by other students. This led to nicknames such as â€Å"Spot† and â€Å"Andy the Red-Nosed Warhola† and a lifelong interest in clothing, wigs, cosmetics, and, later, plastic surgery in response to what he perceived as his flaws. During high school, Warhol took art classes there and at the Carnegie Institute (now the Carnegie Museum of Art). He was somewhat of an outcast because he was quiet, could always be found with a sketchbook in his hands, and had shockingly pale skin and white-blond hair. Warhol also loved to go to movies and started a collection of celebrity memorabilia, particularly autographed photos. A number of these pictures appeared in Warhols later artwork. Warhol graduated from high school and then went to the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1945, graduating in 1949 with a major in pictorial design. Blotted-Line Technique During college, Warhol developed the blotted-line technique, which involved taping two pieces of blank paper together at an edge and then drawing in ink on one page. Before the ink dried, he pressed the two pieces of paper together. The resulting image was a picture with irregular lines that he could fill in with watercolor. Warhol moved to New York right after college and worked there for a decade as a commercial illustrator. He quickly earned a reputation in the 1950s for using his blotted-line technique in commercial advertisements. Some of Warhols most famous ads were for shoes for I. Miller, but he also drew Christmas cards for Tiffany Co., created book and album covers, and illustrated Amy Vanderbilts Complete Book of Etiquette. Pop Art Around 1960, Warhol decided to make a name for himself in pop art, a new style of art that had begun in England in the mid-1950s and consisted of realistic renditions of popular, everyday items. Warhol had turned away from the blotted-line technique and had decided to use paint and canvas, but he was having trouble deciding what to paint. Warhol began with Coke bottles and comic strips, but his work wasnt getting the attention he wanted. In December 1961, a friend gave Warhol an idea: he should paint what he liked most in the world, perhaps something such as money or a can of soup. Warhol painted both. Warhols first exhibition in an art gallery came in 1962 at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles. He displayed his canvases of Campbells soup, one for each of the 32 types of soup made by the company. He sold all the paintings as a set for $1,000. Before long, Warhols work was known all over the world and he was in the vanguard of the new pop art movement. Silk-Screening Unfortunately for Warhol, he found that he couldnt make his paintings fast enough on canvas. In July 1962, he discovered the process of silk screening, which uses a specially prepared section of silk as a stencil, allowing one silk-screen image to create similar patterns multiple times. He immediately began making paintings of political and Hollywood celebrities, most notably a large collection of paintings of Marilyn Monroe. Warhol would use this style for the rest of his life. Mass production not only spread his art; it became his art form. Movies In the 1960s as Warhol continued to paint, he also made films, which were known for creative eroticism, lack of plots, and extreme length- up to 25 hours. From 1963 to 1968, he made nearly 60 movies. One of his movies, Sleep, is a five-and-a-half-hour film of a nude man sleeping. â€Å"We were shooting so many, we never even bothered to give titles to a lot of them,† Warhol later recalled. On July 3, 1968, disgruntled actress Valerie Solanas, one of the hangers-on at Warhols studio known as The Factory, shot him in the chest. Less than 30 minutes later, Warhol was pronounced clinically dead. The doctor then cut Warhols chest open and massaged his heart for a final effort to get it started again. It worked. Though his life was saved, it took a long time for him to recover. Warhol continued to paint during the 1970s and 1980s. He also began publishing a magazine called Interview and several books about himself and pop art. He even dabbled in television, producing two shows- Andy Warhol’s TV  and  Andy Warhol’s Fifteen Minutes,- for MTV and appearing on  The Love Boat  and  Saturday Night Live. Death On Feb. 21, 1987, Warhol underwent routine gallbladder surgery. Though the operation went well, Warhol unexpectedly passed away the following morning from complications. He was 58. Legacy Warhol’s work is featured in an enormous collection at the  Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, which the website describes as one of the most comprehensive single-artist museums in the world and the largest in North America. It includes paintings, drawings, commercial illustrations, sculptures, prints, photographs, wallpapers, sketchbooks, and books covering Warhol’s career, from his student work to pop art paintings and collaborations. In his will, the artist directed that his entire estate be used to create a foundation for the advancement of the visual arts. The  Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts was established in 1987. Sources Andy Warhol: American Artist. Encyclopedia Britannica.Andy Warhols Life. Warhol.org.ï » ¿

International Business Alliance (based on the Business Strategy Game) Essay

International Business Alliance (based on the Business Strategy Game) - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that management structure at both partners’ state will need specialized modification that will factor in the alliance management needs. Strengthening the management teams’ attention will require formulation of a collaboration committee in the initial stages of the alliance, bearing the management oversight mandate. The initial stage of carrying the appropriate alliance management design will, therefore, include the appointment of the alliance committee for further managerial design negotiations. A managerial design structure will be negotiated and agreed among the committee representatives. To ensure that the highest form of commitment and cooperation is obtained from both partner firms, the highest level of management and administration will be brought on board. Management design at the two firms will determine the final structure adopted by the alliance. The popularity of the alliance among the employees is very important in the creation of a solidly committed team in the implementation. In light of the importance of the management gesture, the involvement of the board of directors in the agreed structure will be necessitated. This structure will incorporate two board members, five senior managers including the finance managers and the elected committee representatives. Improvement will be the main focus of the alliance hence a proposal for appointment of the most versatile manager-leaders will be forwarded at first hand.

Doping in Sports Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Doping in Sports - Research Paper Example Doping in athletes is the most current element that threatens the entire athletics body in the world. Athletes have been found to have used performance enhancing drugs in various athletic competitions through out the world. The motive behind the use of these drugs is not yet established. But the fact remains constant that the primary reason for using performance enhancing drugs by some athletes his to gain competitive advantage and thus snatch the rewards. In some cases personal accomplishments and ambitions such as the need to win medals for their countries are among the driving factors that make athletes engage in doping. Among the commonly abused drugs among athletes include anabolic asteroids, androstenedione, human growth hormones, stimulants, creatine, erythropoietin and diuretics. According to this research, about 1-3 million athletes in the United States have been involved in the use of anabolic steroids by the year 2005, with designer steroids being the commonly abused (O'Le ary and John 23). II. Dangers and Side effects The side effects and the health risks associated with performance enhancing drugs are difficult to assess to the fact that these drugs are illegal. However, studies have revealed the consequences of using these drugs as discussed below. Effects of anabolic steroids The use of anabolic steroids comes with very adverse effects on athletes. The effects however, manifest themselves differently depending on gender. For instance, men develop prominent breasts, baldness, infertility and impotence. In advanced stages, the male testicles become shrunken. On the mother hand, females develop deeper voice, increased body hair, baldness, frequent or sometimes absence of periods (Houlihan and Barrie, 67). Effects of Androstenedione This is a drug that is legally found in prescription form. However, the use of it as a performance enhancing drug is illegal in some countries like the United States of America. The effects of androstenedione in men are; diminished sperm production, breasts enlargement and shrinking of the testicles. In females the effect is that is common is masculinization, such as voice deepening and male-pattern baldness. Effects of human growth hormones This hormone is also known as gonadotropin, and is mainly used by athletes to increase the mass of the muscles and performance. However, the human growth hormones have anabolic effect. Among these effects are; High blood pressure (hypertension), Muscle weakness, Diabetes, pain in the joints and impaired glucose regulation (Khan et al, 12). III. Drug testing procedures Test for doping can be done in two ways. One through blood sample test and the other is done through urine sample test. However, urine sample test is the most commonly used method. The procedures followed are as shown below. Step1. Notification of selection for a urine test The athletes are notified of selection for a test an anti-doping agency through the use of an official Doping Control Form. Step2. Reporting for sample collection The notified athletes are expected to report to the Doping Control Station with immediate effect on the specified time. The

Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance Research Paper

Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance - Research Paper Example Employee Engagement and Organizational Performance Employee engagement is one of the most important issues in HR. It plays a significant role in enhancing the overall performance of the employee and thus the productivity of the organization. It gives an individual a sense of importance and belongingness to the organization. Any absence of employee engagement could lead to stress on the part of employee. In this paper, we will discuss the importance of employee engagement and its impact on organizational performance as it has become one of the most important concerns for the HR of an organization. When employees are fully engaged and dedicated towards their work and organization, we say that employees are engaged. Employee’s engagement is usually a measurable form of concept, which assesses the positive and negative attachment of employee with job and organization. Engagement is a step forward than simple employee’s motivation and satisfaction as it also specifies the amount of involvement in organization tasks and decision making Schmidt in 1993 described employee engagement as a modernized version of job satisfaction and commitment with work. Various studies found employee engagement as a very important tool that could trigger positive outcomes for an organization.Employee retention is the most important benefit of employee engagement as it significantly reduces the cost of the organization and improves the productivity. ... In turn, it brings good results for organization and enhances the job performance of employees too. For example, such employees tries to give their extra input, spend extra time at work, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and improved services. This concept was initiated during the World War II, when the impact of unity between the army men was assessed. Studies were conducted in the world war to find the importance of motivation and engagement as scores were given to different attributes. In today’s world it has now become a major HR issue as the cost of replacing an old employee is very high (Arndt, 2000, pp. 44–48). According to the study conducted by Society of Human Resource Management, replacing an employee could cost $3500 at least, making it difficult for the organization to hire a new employee. As a result, organizations are trying to pay attention on this important issue so they could enhance organizational performance (Potosky, Bobko, 2004, pp. 1003 –34). Towers Perrin conducted a study in 2007-08 on 90,000 employees working in 18 different countries to gauge the importance of employee engagement. The study found that engaged employee had a 19% probability of increasing the operating income of the company. On the other hand, employee with lowest engagement had a 32% probability of reducing the operating income of the company. Tony Schwartz stated that more than 100 studies have proved strong relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance. Studies also show that out of the total workforce, only 20% of them are fully (Caruth, 2007, pp. 150-167). These studies show the importance of generating employee engagement that could result in

The Importance Of Photosynthesis

The Importance Of Photosynthesis To understand the importance of photosynthesis, research is conducted to help determine which wavelength of light and light intensity the chloroplast would generate the fastest photosynthetic reaction rate of photosynthesis. In plants, photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplast. The chloroplast absorbs the light energy to convert to chemical energy such as ATP AND NADPH. Photosynthesis is the process of converting carbon dioxide to organic compounds, such as simple sugar, using the energy from sunlight (Smith, A.L.). The chemical reaction equation of photosynthesis is as followed: 6 C02 + 6 H20 + Light Energy → C6H1206 + 6 02 There are a number of limiting factors on the rate of reaction for photosynthesis. However, the purpose for this lab experiment is to measure the light intensity and the wavelength. Light is a form of energy known as electromagnetic energy, also called the electromagnetic radiation (Campbell 190).The most important segment of the visible light is the narrow band range from 380 nm to 750 nm (Campbell 190). Pigments are substance that absorbs the visible light; however, it may be also reflected or transmitted. Different pigments absorb light of different wavelengths (Campbell 190). Light emits a wavelength, the distance between the crest of electromagnetic waves, is inversely related to the amount of the energy: the shorter the wavelength, the greater the energy of each photon of that light (Campbell 190). Chloroplast contains pigment chlorophyll that absorbs the light energy from the sunlight and drive synthesis of organic molecules (Campbell 186). In addition, plants also use other p igment, such as carotenes and xanthophyll, to absorb different wavelength of the light. Chlorophyll absorbs violent-blue and red light while transmitting and reflecting green light, which gives leaf its color. Violent-blue and red light are the most effective color of the light spectrum to conduct photosynthesis, whereas green light is the least effective color (Campbell 192). Photosynthesis starts when the chlorophyll molecules are excited by the absorption of light. The chlorophyll molecules are organized along with other small organic molecules and proteins into photosystem (Campbell 193). The photosystem are composed of a protein complex called a reaction-center complex that is surrounded by several light-harvesting complexes, which contain various pigments that are embedded to the protein. In Photosystem II, light travels through the chloroplast and strikes a pigment molecule in the light harvesting complex. This excites the electron to a higher energy level and fall back down to ground state. As the electron falls back down to its ground state, it stimulate a nearby pigment until this process reaches the reaction center called the P680, a pair of chlorophyll ÃŽ ± molecules in the Photosystem II reaction -center complex. The electron is then transfer to the primary electron-acceptor. As the P680 loses its electron, it is replace by the enzyme catalyze s the splitting of water molecules into two hydrogen ions and  ½ of oxygen in the thylakoids space. The oxygen atom immediately combines with another oxygen atom, forming O2, which was generated from the splitting of another water molecule. The excited electron from the primary electron-acceptor in PS II passes through the electron transport chain to the chlorophyll ÃŽ ± molecules, which is called P700, located in PS I. In the meantime, light energy travels through the light harvesting complex into the P700, which excited the electron, transferring the electron to PS I primary electron-acceptor. These electrons are passed on through electron acceptors that donate the electron to NADP+. The energy release drive the transfer of electron in an oxidation-reduction mechanism in which NADP+ is reduced to NADPH. Involving a redox reaction, oxidation is the loss of electrons from a substance, whereas reduction is the addition of electrons to a substance. The excess of energy from the oxid ation-reduction process provides energy for the synthesis of ATP, which generates a proton gradient across the chloroplast membrane that is used in chemiosmosis. Overall, the light reactions are steps of photosynthesis to convert light energy to chemical energy, such as ATP and NADPH, in order to produce pieces of sugar in the Calvin cycle. In this study, we first separate and identify pigments within plants cells by a process called chromatography. We will also study how several factors quantitatively affect the rate of photosynthesis. The factor that was tested includes the light intensity and wavelength. Thus, we can determine the effectiveness of the different pigments to absorb light to different wavelength and light intensities. The hypotheses are formed as follows: H1: Violent-blue and red light would have a faster photosynthetic rate compared to green light. H2: Light intensity is directly correlated with rate of photosynthesis. H3: Carbon dioxide is directly proportional to the amount of carbon present in the atmosphere. Materials and methods Chromatography is to separate and identify pigment within the plant cell which spinach leaves was use to conduct this experiment. Using a paper chromatography of 14 cm wide by 16cm tall, a pencil line of 2 cm is drawn from the bottom edge of the paper. Then apply the plant extract along the line to within 1 cm of each edge. Allowing the extract to dry each time, this process is repeated 10 times or more to ensure the pigment are on the chromatography. The paper chromatography is stapled into a cylinder at the bare edges and place into chromatography jar that contain a 15 ml solvent of petroleum ether-acetone. The chromatography jar is set under a vented-hood with the jar covered. This will allow the atmosphere inside to be saturated with the solvent. The solvent will move up the paper chromatography and carry the pigments along. Each pigment will move at different rate along the paper. The discrete pigment band will be formed from the front, which is the leading edge of the solvent, to the origin where the pigments were added to the paper. To determine the distance of each discrete pigment band, Rf ratio is used. The Rf is the ratio of the distance a band travels to the distance the front traveled (lab manual). The Rf equation is as follow: After the pigments are separated, each band will be pooled with other group and eluted into 10 cc of acetone. The unknown pigments from the each band are placed in a cuvette and place in a spectrophotometer. Four cuvettes were obtained and label as band 1, 2, 3, and 4. A spectrophotometer is used to measure the percent of each wavelength of light absorbed by the pigment (Campbell 190). Each band is measure at specific wavelength ranging from 400 nm to 680 nm. Thus, each of the bands is identify according to its pigment by comparing its wavelength to the known standard wavelength. To determine at which wavelength of light and at which light intensity the chloroplast would generate the fastest photosynthetic reaction rate of photosynthesis, the floating leaf disk assay is use for this experiment. The wavelength of red, green, and blue light is test to determine the rate of photosynthesis. In addition, the effect of light intensity is determined by the distance of light (white) from the leaves. For each trail, a 0.2% of 300 ml sodium bicarbonate solution (baking soda) is use as an alternate dissolved source of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis by using 1/8 of a teaspoon of baking in a 300 ml of water (lab manual). Then a hole-punch is use to cut out 10 or more uniform leaf disks (avoid major veins). The air space of the leaf disks is infiltrates with the sodium bicarbonate solution, which the solution will cause the leaf disk to sink due to its increase in density. Infiltration of the leaf disks with sodium bicarbonate is as followed: Remove the plunger and place the leaf disk into the syringe barrel. Replace the plunger and slowly push air out while being careful not to crush the leaf. With a small volume of sodium bicarbonate solution into the syringe. Tap syringe to suspend the leaf disks in the solution. While holding a finger over the syringe opening, draw back the plunger to create a vacuum for 10 seconds. In addition, swirl the leaf disks to suspend them in the solution. This procedure may be repeated 2-3 times in order to get the leaf disk to sink. After the leaf disks sink, pour the disk and the solution into a clear cup or beaker. A constant volume of bicarbonate solution is added and should be the same depth for each trail. Place the cup or beaker under the light source and start the timer. Each minute is to record the number of floating disk. In addition, dislodge any disks stuck against the sides of the cup by swirling the disks. Continue until all of the leaf disks are floating. In addition, the presence of CO2 is measured.