Labor & Management Relations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Work and Management Relations - Research Paper Example With respect to representatives, the activity showcase in the United States has been flipped around over the most recent few years, as a significant consequence of the monetary disturbance confronting the nation (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011). As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2011), the normal joblessness rate over the United States stayed consistent for February and March 2011 at an expected 8.8%. In this way, while working for an organization like Wal-Mart may not be perfect, it might be one of only a handful not many types of business that numerous Americans can make sure about under the current monetary conditions confronting the nation today (Glasmeier, 2006). Lamentably, the retailer is exploiting the urgency of clients and representatives. In staying a significant power in the retail business, picking up power through the monetary emergency on numerous levels, the genuine expenses behind its low costs are certainly not a piece of the organization’s promoted ad vertising system (MSNBC, 2005). ... These clients don't should be caused to feel seriously about their shopping experience, Wal-Mart has an open door that they are neglecting to figure it out. Now, they have a huge piece of the overall industry, which will doubtlessly come back to what it was before the 2008 monetary breakdown, in the following couple of years when the economy bobs once again from its concise demolition; in light of recorded information (Microsoft, 2011). Notwithstanding, without executing a preparation program that drives client faithfulness through representative fulfillment, Wal-Mart can possibly lose their huge addition, to contenders like Target, when joblessness rates are down and the economy is blasting by and by (Microsoft, 2011). Along these lines, this paper will analyze the numerous reports of government law infringement and unsatisfactory human rights guidelines to which the huge box retailer has gotten acclimated in its season of financial succeed and fleeting force. As indicated by Cram ( 2005), â€Å"In 2002, 43 unmistakable charges were recorded against Wal-Mart for infringement of the National Labor Relations Act and since 1995, 60 objections have been documented against Wal-Mart with the National Labor Relations Board.† in light of these charges, this paper will likewise suggest usage of a preparation venture that will at last assistance to improve the picture of Wal-Mart according to its most significant resources, its HR. Evaluation The quantity of representative protests and claims against Wal-Mart for its poor, and now and again unlawful, business and worker relations rehearses that have been consistently ascending all through the previous decade, makes this issue deserving of tending to; especially at the neighborhood level where administrators have

Implanting a CHIP in every U.S. citizen Assignment

Embedding a CHIP in each U.S. resident - Assignment Example There are a few reasons why individuals agree to microchip implantation. In the first place, it permits quick and productive access to a person’s clinical records in the event of crisis (Merrill, 2009; Merill, 2007). It is profoundly proficient since an individual will consistently convey the gadget inside his body any place he may go. Second, it could likewise fill in as a methods for personality check (Merrill, 2007; Murray, 2004). Murray (2004) said beside clinical organizations, that the organization has been working in persuading banks, Visa organizations and security offices that utilization of their item is profoundly advantageous in this viewpoint. Following would be another explanation (Murray, 2004; Fuller, 2002). Abducting is a genuine wrongdoing that is uncontrolled today. A microchip embedded to an individual can be utilized to find their area. The microchip embed could likewise fill in as another type of safety effort. Extra security was the motivation behind why Mexico embedded the microchip to 160 authorities said Murray (2004). This filled in as another of their goes in entering and leaving grouped government foundations. Further, the capability of the chip being glucose screen is additionally being inspected. This would be exceptionally advantageous to diabetic patients who consistently screen the degree of their glucose. In 2007 nonetheless, the American Medical Association found a few dangers of microchip implantation said Merrill (2007). The first of these is that the chip relocates under the skin. At that point it likewise upsets the sign transmitted by electromagnetic and electrosurgical gadgets and defibrillators, he included. Further, the microchip may adversely respond with specific pharmaceuticals. Beside these clinical issues, there are additionally protection and social issues. Since following could be conceivable with the utilization of the gadget, an individual could feel that his protection is being attacked and that his m oves are being viewed. Rather than including security, the microchip would then reason extra concern to its transporter. It can fill in as a GPS beacon for law-implementers. Be that as it may, a similar gadget could likewise be utilized by lawbreakers to chase down their prey. In the event that the microchip can be utilized for proficiency in security, at that point it can likewise be utilized to productively penetrate it. Similarly as knowledge and abilities can be utilized for additional progression, it can likewise be used to damage laws and lead criminal acts. There has been a dread that RFID would one day be perceived as a national ID for the Americans. It is much the same as a chain response, when an ever increasing number of individuals utilize the item, at that point the closer it would get to being a national ID. With section of bills in certain states that boycott the compulsory implantation of the said gadget, this concern has been by one way or another disposed of. Since there are states that won't command its kin to encapsulate the chip, a national ID utilizing this strategy will not, at this point be conceivable. The United States as a nation is a pioneer in the word network. What gets acknowledged in the U.S. would be considered for acknowledgment by different nations if not completely acknowledged. The nation being a super-power is an innovator and a pioneer in mechanical progression. Its impact to the worldwide network could be handily observed in different perspectives, for example, financial matters, medication, technical studies and different fields. The primary worry of its pioneers would be the advantage of its residents, however when they pass a national resolution, they should likewise

Seedec free essay sample

The Pros of Steroid testing in High School In todays world, secondary school sports are a gigantic arrangement to numerous individuals. It can make a lot of cash, produce income for the secondary school and offer secondary school competitors the opportunity to play in the NCAA. Some secondary school competitors will go the extent that taking steroids so they can â€Å"bulk† up, which intends to build bulk. They will take the necessary steps since they feel the opportunity to play sports in school is unmistakably more significant than their own body. What the competitors don't know is the negative impact of steroids makes, in their body. Steroids can cause profound emotional episodes and inside harm in the human body. Secondary school competitors likewise don't see how they will be taken a gander at on the off chance that they do get captured. Steroid clients are continually looked downward on by different competitors, since they see the clients as individuals who swindled the game, and affronted the players who they play with. We will compose a custom paper test on Seedec or on the other hand any comparable point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Steroid clients are typically named as con artists even in the experts. There are numerous star competitors that have taken steroids and are currently taken a gander at as miscreants. Geniuses, for example, Roger Clemens, Mark Mcgwire, and Marion Jones. These athletes’ professions are â€Å"forever discolored by their poor choices. † (Adler) However, despite the fact that steroid testing in secondary school may appear the conspicuous â€Å"right† decision, numerous individuals are reluctant due to the measure of cash it takes to manage one steroid test on one secondary school competitor. In a test for 100,000 secondary school competitors in Texas 99% of all competitors didn't utilize steroids. Is it extremely worth the cash? Medication testing ought to be permitted on the grounds that it gives a reasonable playing ground to all secondary school competitors. Steroids allow competitors to get greater and quicker. This is out of line to different competitors that really strive to develop themselves truly via preparing and weightlifting. There is a â€Å"relentless weight for secondary school competitors to win† (Scelfo) The weight might be so incredible for secondary School competitors that they may feel that it is important to take steroids. Secondary school competitors are likewise intensely impacted by what they see and find out about expert competitors. What happens when they see their venerated images like Alex Rodriguez take steroid? What occurs in tip top games impact what occurs in schools and business gyms† (Butterworth) If sedate testing is directed to all secondary school competitors, it will make reasonableness all through all secondary school sports. Medication testing may unnerve a player into not taking steroids, since the person in question realizes that later on they will be tried for the utilization of steroi ds. With Drug testing no secondary school competitor will have an uncalled for size bit of leeway over different players. This can be particularly perilous in physical games, for example, football, hockey, and rugby. Toward the day's end individuals face the choice on the off chance that they ought to permit steroid testing. Steroid testing in secondary school supports sportsmanship. What might players realize whether they saw that it was alright to cheat in sports and take steroids? Society has an obligation to show developing children in secondary school what’s right, and what’s wrong. All players on the two groups in whatever game ought to figure out how to regard each other on the playing field insofar as off it, and they will become familiar with these exercises by steroid testing’s. Charlie Hyvarinen, a multi year-old hopeful football player from a suburb of Cleveland, who demands he could never take steroids. Those are phony muscles, and its cheating, and it’s terrible for you† (Adler) Athletes like Charlie are what all secondary school athlete’s qualities ought to resemble. Secondary school competitors need to realize that steroid use, isn't alrigh t under any situation and individuals that do take steroids will be rebuffed. An enormous factor in the discussion of steroid testing is that steroids can be perilous to the human body. Steroids drastically increment testosterone levels which might be unsafe to the human body. An expansion in testosterone levels can cause significant emotional episodes. â€Å"Teens are especially in danger in light of the fact that the example of cycling on and off these medications plays with their hormone levels, prompting emotional episodes and serious despondency. † (Butterworth) Taylor Hooton was a 6-foot-2-inch, pitcher for his secondary school baseball crew. Taylor in secondary school chose to utilize steroids bringing about significant emotional episodes. Later on he became â€Å"depressed and draped himself from his room entryway on July 15, 2003. † (â€Å"A dismal and uncovering story of teenager steroid use†) â€Å"Dionne Passacantando. A 17-year-old secondary school team promoter, athlete, and VP of her Allen (Texas) High School class, settled on a choice she laments. † (â€Å"A dismal and uncovering story of high schooler steroid use†) She purchased steroids. Dionne clarifies that it was so natural to acquire steroids, â€Å"It was simpler for me to get those than it presumably was to purchase beer† (â€Å"A dismal and uncovering story of teenager steroid use†) Dionne began to get self-destructive subsequent to taking steroids for an adequate measure of time, where the steroids were making her body go in substantial emotional episodes now and again. Steroids are not Natural Supplements to the body, so it has many reactions, for example, Glaucoma, hypertension, and corpulence. Society must secure secondary school competitors, from genuinely getting injured from theories symptoms. Steroids can make physical harm the human body and can likewise harm the psychological state by making self-destructive musings and significant emotional episodes to the human body. Steroid testing in secondary school is an enormous issue. Individuals contend that finding that one individual who takes steroids is worth many bombed tests and several squandered dollars. What a secondary school competitor may not know is that the individuals who are for steroid testing likewise care about their wellbeing. They would prefer not to see a competitor get injured from the hazardous reactions of steroids. Guardians of children like Taylor Hooton would prefer not to witness a similar result to different children who choose to take steroids.

Illusion and Reality in Emersons Experience - Literature Essay Samples

In Experience, Ralph Waldo Emerson discusses the dichotomy of illusion and an absolute realm. Through the exercise of skepticism, Emerson establishes an uncertain knowledge of the phenomenal realm of reality; neither the intellect nor emotion can grasp the meaning of the events occurring in the outside world. Similarly, absolute truth remains obscured from Emerson’s perception. Nevertheless, he remains certain of its presence, and responds to the threat of illusion with spontaneous appeals to higher knowledge. Although waking up, so to speak, proves impossible from Emerson’s current point of perception, Emerson maintains faith in the presence of a holistic reality. His response to a valueless external world proves to be, throughout the piece, an appeal to integrate with a â€Å"creative power†, or higher realm. (281) Therefore, Emerson ultimately advocates for the abandonment of illusion in favor of experience. While Emerson identifies â€Å"illusion† as a separate â€Å"lord of life† in his opening poem, his essay implies that all perceptual subjective forms of knowledge are fundamentally illusory.(269) The lords of life Illusion, Temperament, Succession, Surface, Surprise, Reality, and Subjectiveness distort our experience, disabling our connection with the absolute. Our disconnection from the absolute accounts for our general disorientation:â€Å"Ghostlike we glide through nature, and should not know our place again.†, Emerson writes. (271) This is among the first of Emerson’s many laments regarding man’s departure from Nature, a â€Å"mid-world† he describes as an intersection between â€Å"sensation and intellect†, or power and form. While Emerson frequently rejects that a complete and lasting experience with the absolute is possible, he suggests that specific forms of living will lead to our encounter with a deeper cause. Therefore, E merson’s primary concern throughout the essay is the movement away from perceptual knowledge and into experience. Over the course of the paper, he recognizes the overwhelming quality of worldly illusions and, using the model of a mid-world, or intersection between spirit and form, attempts to find respite from confusion. The essay’s opening metaphor introduces the dichotomy of illusion and truth. Emerson compares perception to a lingering sleep: â€Å"Sleep lingers about our lifetime about our eyes; as night hovers all day in the boughs of the fir-tree. All things swim and glimmer. Our life is not so much threatened as our perception.† (270, 271) Through the metaphor of a shadow cast within a fir-tree, Emerson describes the nature of illusion: darkness, or shadow, obscures the unalterable truth of daylight. Regardless of our obstructed vision, Emerson implies, daytime continues on. Reality is real while illusion remains illusory, regardless of our perceptual defects. Furthermore, Emerson’s comparison of illusion to shadow suggests that misperception is a natural consequence of human existence. His lamentation in the following paragraph regarding our obsession with routine emphasizes the inescapable quality of the illusory realm.Throughout his piece, Emerson emphasizes the inescap able quality of perception, for example, when describing life as a series of illusion we travel between. In response to his assertion that perception distorts our vision of the world, Emerson attempts to identify the cause of our depravity: â€Å"Did our birth fall in some fit of indigence and frugality in nature, that she was so sparing of her fire and so liberal of her earth, that it appears to us that we lack the affirmative principle, and though we have health and reason, yet we have no superfluity of spirit for new creation?† (271) Due to a lack of spirit, or â€Å"fire†, the experiencer is overwhelmed by worldly forms. Furthermore, this quote explicates that spirit stands apart from â€Å"health and reason†, or bodily states and the intellect. Throughout his essay, Emerson refers to the spiritual realm as an antidote to illusion. Emerson’s description of spirit as an â€Å"affirmative principle† alludes to the partiality, or individuality, of illusion, a recurrent unsolvable problem reiterated throughout Experience. Additionally, the word â€Å" affirmative† implies certainty; through contact with the spirit, confidence in the ultimate nature of reality can be obtained. Emerson’s personal response to grief an attractive mode of illusion whose â€Å"spikes and edges† offer a false sense of certainty illustrates his faith in a greater, albeit imperceptible, truth. While Emerson’s attitude towards his son may be read as a skepticism against life, one may also interpret his refusal to indulge grief as an affirmation of faith: â€Å"Grief, like all the rest, plays about the surface, and never introduces me into the reality, for contact with which, we would even pay the costly price of sons and lovers.†, Emerson states. (271) Although Emerson feels extraordinary pain, he commits to arriving nearer to truth rather than indulging his immediate impulse. Although he desires to grieve, he chooses not to: â€Å"I grieve that grief can teach [me] nothing, nor carry me one step into real nature.† (284) Grief, therefore, fails to offer genuine relief from pain. The rejection of grief as a subjective, non-ultimate reality, howev er difficult, promises to lead Emerson away from his isolated perception and closer to truth. Therefore, Emerson demonstrates his faith in an undistorted reality; illusion, no matter how appealing, proves ultimately unreal. Similarly, Emerson invalidates the measurement of temperament because such study overlooks the reality of the soul. Emerson argues that sensory or material signs, although indicative of an object’s appearance, fail to describe the fundamental Beingness of the object they belong to. While discussing the outlook of physicians and scientists identifying personality, Emerson writes: â€Å"They esteem each man the victim of another, who winds him round his finger by knowing the law of his being, and by such cheap sign boards as the color of his beard, or the slope of his occiput, reads the inventory of his fortunes and character. The grossest ignorance does not disgust like this impudent knowingness.† (272) Because descriptions of temperament claim that a person can be wholly known through limiting characteristics, such as character and behavior, Emerson rejects the scientific study of persona. When conclusions are proven accurate, Emerson â€Å"distrusts the facts†(2 84). While the intellect might be capable of describing visible personality, Emerson rejects the such indications as invalid. Temperament proves inherently illusory and inescapable. He describes it as a â€Å"uniform tune which the revolving barrel of the music box must play.† (272) However, his statement that temperament â€Å"prevails over everything of time, place, and condition† does not erase his belief in an authentic, or non-material self which cannot be affected by the realm of illusion. (272) However, Emerson contradicts his earlier claim that temperament cannot be escaped, when he suggests that virtue sublimates the presence of temperament: â€Å"when virtue is in presence, all subordinate powers sleep.† (272) Again, Emerson suggests illusion cannot be escaped, then responds with an appeal to a higher truth. Later in the paragraph, Emerson writes: â€Å"Into every intelligence there is a door which is never closed, through which the creator passes. The intellect, seeker of absolute truth, or the heart, lover of absolute good, intervenes for our succor, and at one whisper of t hese higher powers, we awake from ineffectual struggles with this nightmare. We hurl it into its own hell, and cannot again contract ourselves to so base a state.† (273) In other words, upon becoming aware of a superior creative power, we hurl our former, analysis-based understandings into hell. From an absolute perspective, all indications of illusion, regardless of their particular form, are wholly unimportant. Theoretical thought, or rationalization, proves as problematic as mood and temperament; without experience, theory keeps the experiencer within the subjective realm. While describing the futility of unsupplemented intellectual ideas, Emerson states: â€Å"Intellectual tasting of life will not supersede muscular activity. If a man should consider the nicety of the passage of a piece of bread down his throat, he would starve.† â€Å"Life is not intellectual or critical, but sturdy.† (275) This statement ties in with his claim that â€Å"life is not dialectics†. (274) Since over-engagement with theory distracts the experiencer from sensory life, Emerson rejects it as valueless. Furthermore, Emerson suggests that theorizing without practical application may potentially guide the thinker towards all conclusions. Therefore, Emerson suggests, the intellect cannot evaluate the superiority of one belief over another. â€Å"There are objections to every course of life and action, and the practical wisdom infers an indifferency, from the omnipresence of objection.† (286) In the same way that reality is â€Å"absolute† in Emersonian terms, illusion possesses an all-pervasive quality as well; all objections are of the same fundamental quality, in that they are not ultimately true. Opinions of the intellect, as Emerson explicates later in the paper, ultimately suggest nothing. Through honest analysis of thought’s limitations, Emerson once again redirects his reader to the realm of experience. The intellect’s primary failure, Emerson clarifies, is its failure to analyze. This is expressed most clearly in the essay’s opening. While we as experiencers can know what happens, we cannot know why it is important to us. In the essay’s opening paragraph, Emerson discusses the general human failure to assess progress on any given day, stating: â€Å"We do not know today whether we are busy or idle.†(270) The intellect cannot identify or determine the quality of its own experience. Therefore, â€Å"critical analysis† should be abandoned; instead, we should attempt to experience moments as they occur. (270) While describing our tendency to compare ourselves to one another, Emerson expresses frustration with the human tendency to place faith in one’s perception: â€Å"Our life looks trivial to us, and we shun to record it. Men seem to have learned of the horizon the art of perpetual retreating and reference.†(270) Because of our mis-col ored perception, we fail to look the present in the eye; however, ironically, genuine perception only proves possible in the present. Furthermore, Emerson’s horizon metaphor suggests that men have ironically mis-learned from Nature. While Nature would otherwise lead us closer to truth, our misinterpretation of the sunrise pulls us farther into the dream. The solution to opinion, which culminates into a kind of lasting distraction from ourselves, exists in the present moment. â€Å"How many individuals can we count in society? how many actions? how many opinions? So much of our time is preparation, so much routine, and so much retrospect, that the pith of each man’s genius contracts itself to a very few hours.†(270) Through the abandonment of opinion, or rejection of intellectual illusion, genuine insight from an inspired realm may be gathered. Emerson’s rejection of analysis does not necessarily contradict his claim that the intellect reveals absolute truth. In Emerson’s view, the intellect can be used to propagate illusion or to perceive absolute truth. Later, Emerson states that the intellect proves morally sound because it stands beyond value judgments. â€Å"Sin seen from the thought, is a diminution or less: seen from the conscience or will, it is pravity or bad. The intellect names it shade, absence of light, and no essence. The conscience must feel it as essence, essential evil. This it is not: it has an objective existence, but no subjective† (281) When used for objective perception, the intellect assists rather than detracts from experience. Although Emerson rejects the validity of illusion, he returns to considerable skepticism about one’s ability to entirely remove these â€Å"colored and distorted lenses†. (281) Regarding perception, Emerson writes: â€Å"We have learned that we do not see directly, but mediately, and that we have no means of correcting these colored and distorting lenses which we are, or of computing the amount of their errors. Perhaps these subject-lenses have a creative power; perhaps there are no objects.†(281) While accepting the limitations of illusion, however, Emerson makes multiple attempts to navigate past fixed perception and into experience: the avoidance of stasis, described by the stars in the sky, the abandonment of moral judgment, and engagement with the present moment are all methods of integrating into a deeper reality which Emerson claims offer revelation. Ultimately, Emerson describes the universe as â€Å"the bride of the soul†, which can either â€Å" sleep or wake† the â€Å"deity which sleeps forever in every soul.† (281) Furthermore, Emerson affirms that no â€Å"force of the intellect† can attribute the object, or power, which allows this subject to sleep or wake. While the intellect may assist in the revelation of truth, â€Å"forces of the intellect† cannot replace spiritual power. Emerson’s two closing paragraphs reaffirm the complementary dynamic between illusion and experience. While Emerson admits the limitations of knowledge, stating that he is â€Å"very content with knowing, if only [he] could know†, he prompts his reader to pursue â€Å"sanity and revelation†, or the â€Å"transformation of genius into practical power.†(284, 285) Although these statements appear contradictory, they accord with the concepts presented earlier in the essay. Knowledge, which stands beyond the realm of illusion, proves inaccessible; experience, existing in a momentary mid-world, enables the expression of the unknowable absolute. The final line of Emerson’s essay suggests, therefore, that although we cannot grasp knowledge intellectually, we can express our connection with an absolute universal law. While the absolute cannot be understood, it can be experienced; the absolute, or â€Å"genius†, achieves expression without intellectual understanding. In the final paragraph of his essay, Emerson distinguishes thought from knowledge. While thought, although unknowable through empirical methods, remains inaccessible to Emerson, he remains certain of its existence. â€Å"I know that the world I converse with in the city and in the farms, is not the world I think. One day, I shall know the value and law of this discrepance. But I have found that not much was gained by manipular attempts to realize the world of thought,† Emerson writes. (284) The first sentence may be interpreted in two ways; first, that the world Emerson sees is not what it appears to be; second, that Emerson’s inner world, or â€Å"world of thought†, is a separate imaginative sphere which stands apart from worldly forms. Through his use of a dual meaning, Emerson points out his reader’s own inability to perceive the meaning of reality. However, the remainder of his statement seems to affirm that he intends the latter interpretation: a sepa rate imaginative world, distinct from the illusory outer forms, remains in Emerson’s mind, although the entirety of its depths remain inaccessible to him. The redeeming aspect of Emerson’s closing paragraph is its reliance on faith. While Emerson does display a sudden optimism which overlooks his earlier claims of worldly enslavement, he makes no statements that fundamentally contradict his earlier philosophy. Because Emerson writes from the realm of illusion, as he admits in the paragraph’s opening sentence, he himself cannot know whether or not his perception is correct. Therefore, he must operate on faith, given his knowledge of reality and illusion as he understands it. He can trust, with the same certainty, that knowledge will be revealed to him; he prompts his reader or, perhaps, himself to stand up again, and to look forward to the transformation of the world. Emerson’s hopeful conclusion, therefore, transcends the suppositions of the intellect. While his previous reasoning suggested that illusion cannot be overcome, he places his faith in the emergence of a reality which cannot yet be known.

Quantum Zeno Effect

The quantum Zeno effect is a phenomenon in quantum physics where observing a particle prevents it from decaying as it would in the absence of the observation. Classical Zeno Paradox The name comes from the classic logical (and scientific) paradox presented by ancient philosopher Zeno of Elea. In one of the more straightforward formulations of this paradox, in order to reach any distant point, you have to cross half of the distance to that point. But to reach that, you have to cross half that distance. But first, half of that distance. And so forth... so that it turns out you actually have an infinite number of half-distances to cross and, therefore, you cant actually ever make it! Origins of the Quantum Zeno Effect The quantum Zeno effect was originally presented in the 1977 paper The Zenos Paradox in Quantum Theory (Journal of Mathematical Physics, PDF), written by Baidyanaith Misra and George Sudarshan. In the article, the situation described is a radioactive particle (or, as described in the original article, an unstable quantum system). According to quantum theory, there is a given probability that this particle (or system) will go through a decay in a certain period of time into a different state than the one in which it began. However, Misra and Sudarshan proposed a scenario in which repeated observation of the particle actually prevents the transition into the decay state. This may certainly be reminiscent of the common idiom a watched pot never boils, except instead of a mere observation about the difficulty of patience, this is an actual physical result that can be (and has been)  experimentally confirmed. How the Quantum Zeno Effect Works The physical explanation in quantum physics is complex, but fairly well understood. Lets begin by thinking of the situation as it just happens normally, without the quantum Zeno effect at work. The unstable quantum system described has two states, lets call them state A (the undecayed state) and state B (the decayed state). If the system is not being observed, then over time it will evolve from the undecayed state into a superposition of state A and state B, with the probability of being in either state being based on time. When a new observation is made, the wavefunction that describes this superposition of states will collapse into either state A or B. The probability of which state it collapses into is based on the amount of time that has passed. Its the last part which is key to the quantum Zeno effect. If you make a series of observations after short periods of time, the probability that the system will be in state A during each measurement is dramatically higher than the probability that the system will be in state B. In other words, the system keeps collapsing back into the undecayed state and never has time to evolve into the decayed state. As counter-intuitive as this sounds, this has been experimentally confirmed (as has the following effect). Anti-Zeno Effect There is evidence for an opposite effect, which is described in Jim Al-Khalilis Paradox as the quantum equivalent of staring at a kettle and making it come to the boil more quickly. While still somewhat speculative, such research goes to the heart of some of the most profound and possibly important areas of science in the twenty-first century, such as working toward building what is called a quantum computer. This effect has been  experimentally confirmed.

Buddhism The Four Noble Truths And The Eight Fold Path

INTRODUCTION In Buddhism, the religion evolves around the two basic concepts of Buddhist teachings – the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path. According to the oxford dictionary, a ritual is defined as, â€Å"a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.† In this religious faith, Buddhists value a plethora of teachings which, not only ties with the Noble teachings and the Eight Fold Path, but value key concepts of what should be evident – and to an extent, required – within a Buddhist ritual such as marriage. These are as such: Respect, wisdom, and love – all of which substantially correspond with marriage. Such concepts of the iconic ritual – on multiple levels – offer a thorough spiritual connection and bond that can be interpreted into an everyday Australian context. †¢ Oxford University Press. (2016). ritual. Retrieved February 25, 2016, from Oxford Dictionaries: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/ritual PARAGRAPH 1: The purpose of marriage in the Buddhist tradition The main purpose of a Buddhist wedding is about symbolizing the companionship between the bride and groom; to show the commitment of each other and express how their relationship is stemmed on true love. Namely, their relationship values the selflessness of the bride and groom, and would rather care less about receiving, but more about giving. As weddings are Rites of Communication, the sense of commitment and acceptanceShow MoreRelatedThe Psychology Of Buddhism And Buddhism1504 Words   |  7 Pages On the Psychology of Buddhism Jarrett C. Ettison Community College of Allegheny County On the Psychology of Buddhism Buddhism as a non-theistic religion dates back to antiquity, circa the 6th century BCE. 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Thesis: From Buddhism to any individual, the Buddhism and Buddhist beliefs become one of the most influential religions in the world. i. Introduction A. Attention Getter: â€Å"God said, let there be light: and there was light.† For Christians, Jesus is their only God. However, as the founder of another famousRead MoreReligion Is A Controversial Topic Around The World1542 Words   |  7 Pagesgain knowledge about the common goal that religions share because once that is established it becomes easier to accept and understand the person. In particular, Buddhism, is more than just a religion. Buddhism, to its followers, is the way of life, or philosophy. Not understanding their religion is not understanding their life at all. Buddhism goes beyond meditation, practices and rituals, it is how a Buddhist lives, thinks and makes decisions. Buddhist believe that Siddhartha Gautama, the BuddhaRead MoreBuddhism : The Philosophy And Religion1426 Words   |  6 PagesBuddhism originated 2,500 years ago in India and today – is the prevailing world religion in the East. There are more than 360 million followers of Buddhism, including one million American followers. Buddhism has branched into a diverse selection of forms throughout its long history, however, all methods of Buddhism share an admiration for the teachings of Buddha with the ultimate focus on ending suffering (Religionfacts.com, 2015). In the 6th century BC, Siddhartha or Gautama Buddha was born inRead MoreBuddhism Is A Religion Of Escapism1001 Words   |  5 PagesBuddhism is a philosophy and a religion based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama who lived approximately 566 B.C.E. Today, Buddhism has millions of followers worldwide, known as Buddhists. (Ballou, 1976) Most practicing Buddhists believe in concepts such as karma, dharma, sams ara and nirvana. In addition to these, Buddhists base their lives and actions on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold. Fortress (1999) explains that the name Buddha is a title that means â€Å"one who hasRead MoreHow Buddhism Has Impacted The World860 Words   |  4 Pagestime, Buddhism has impacted the world. Whether Buddhism is shaping culture or the culture is shaping Buddhism they both allow other influences to impact each other. Examples like the four noble truths and the two sub groups, Theravada and Mahayana, both showed how they impact Buddhism. Also, Hinduism had a big effect on Buddhism. The 4 Noble truths are the most basic teachings in Buddhism. The first of the 4 noble truths is that ordinary life brings about suffering. The second Noble truth tellsRead MoreThe Issue Of Global Warming978 Words   |  4 Pagesprogressively rising and speeding up. In Buddhism, the concept of nature is simple. The Dali Lama states â€Å"things depend on other things to exist.† Buddhism is a religion that focuses on life in its most simplest elements. Buddhism aims to awaken the mind and body and to enlighten the mind to a purer state of living that is both more spiritual and physically aware. The four noble truths are vital to understanding Buddhism. According to Buddahnet, the first noble truth centers on the concept that life isRead MoreReflection Questions On The Caste System1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe fact that the Brahmin (priest) are in a higher rank than the Kshatriya tells me that in Hinduism religious beliefs are an important part of their values. Reflection Questions: (short paragraph response) What makes the Eight-Fold Path difficult to grasp? The Eight-Fold Path consists of liberating the person from connections and delusions in this world to understand the reality about all things. This can be very difficult for a person to grasp because our desires and connection to the world become

Stuff for Echemendia Essay Example For Students

Stuff for Echemendia Essay #2The ancient grudge between the two families affects the whole city becausethey have to live in this atmosphere created by the two families fighting. In the movie, this effect was seen to full because it showed the twohouses servants starting a fight and then everyone else moving to theside, running into their houses, and closing their shutters, as if theyknew what would happen next. That is what the two families fighting causethe city. Fear. Fear that the city has against what the two families coulddo to each other could cause a civil war between the city, the Montagues,and the Capulets. #5The two men are different because Paris is more intent and lean towardsgetting married while Romeo is interested in the IDEA of love, romance,marrage, and seem to love the idea of doing dirty bad things with Julietand paste them off by calling them things lovers do. If I were Julietsdad, I would personally pick because neither both do not really Love mydaughter but I was asked to pick one so Paris would be the suitor. Pariswould be the suitor I would be most comfortable one with because ParissIdeas are just for marriage not for.sex. #6Capulets stand on marriage the first time is awkward because he does notwant to marry off Juliet to Paris just yet. He was being noble when he saidhe wanted Juliet to enjoy her childhood more. The thing is after Tybaltkills Mercutio (the princes cousin) Capulet thinks that the Prince must beangry with him so to try to get him happy (he thinks) he will marry Paris,who is another relative of the Prince, to Paris. Juliet is 13 which a youngage for girl to get married in our standards. #7Capulet does not drive Romeo out of because in his words he did not want toruin the party. He wanted a chance to get away from all the fighting andall of the constant feuding between the two families and I think Capuletknew that the city was tired of their feuding and in a way Im sure he knewwhen people came they were afraid that a Capulet and Montague fight wouldoccur. Capulet was happy of the high attendance and knew if he had a brawloccur that people would not come anymore because of the fear that a fightwould occur. #8Juliet was afraid that Romeo was just another player looking for a girl todo his thing with then leave her

Three Programs To Listen And Analysis Essays -

Three Programs To Listen And Analysis For this project, I chose to pick three programs to listen to on PeachState Radio, station 88.1 on the FM dial. The program's were Classical24, which aired Monday through Thursday from 12am-5am; Jazz AfterHours which aired from 12am-5am on Fridays and Saturdays; and CarTalk which aired Saturdays from 10am-11am. I chose these programsbecause I thought it would give me an insight on a good variety of theprograms played on national public radio. Classic 24 played an arrayof selections ranging from Mozart and Beethoven to Haydn and Chopin. Jazz After Hours featured names common to me like John Coltrane andRosemary Clooney, but also many others whose music that I foundquite enjoyable. Still, the program I liked the most and chose to writeabout was Car Talk. Car Talk airs weekly on the National Public Radio. It's a call-inradio show that allows listeners to ask questions about problems withtheir car. Brothers Click and Clack Tappet help the people solve theirtroubles in a comical, yet help ful way. The brothers always seem topoke fun at their callers, making them feel somewhat stupid, yetalways bounce back with an answer to the problem. The episode Ipicked to discuss aired February 20, 1999. The first caller to the program was Doris, who had a 1988 PontiacSunbird that was running hot. She complained that at a time whiledriving, the temperature went way up. She said that she went to hermechanic and he said he was too busy and would help her tomorrow. Click and Clack commented that if she was having a heart attack,would the doctor ask her to come back the next day? They told hernot to go back to a mechanic that puts you off. The most probablesolution, they said, was simply to change the thermostat and to makesure that the electric cooling fan was working. Another caller, Ann, who owned a 1994 Mercury Villager wasconcerned with whether or not her van was able to make across-country trip while pulling a pop-up trailer. Click and Clack saidthat it probably would not. They said she should drive it out to PikesPeak, let the kids push it off, and go buy a Yukon to pull the camper. Of course they were only kidding and told the caller that she shouldhave the engine and transmission properly serviced and that it wouldbe fine. The last one I want to talk about was the funniest to me. A womancalled in about clutch problems on a 1989 Volkswagon. She said thatshe had been through five clutches and the car only had 85,000 mileson it. She said that she had taken the car back to the dealership forrepairs, and each time they could not figure out the problem. Themechanics said that the teeth on the flywheels kept breaking and thepressure plate was splitting in half. Click and Clack asked questions totry to find a solution but the results were negative. They called her a?wacko woman driver? and said the only thing wrong with her car wasthat she needed to learn to drive properly. Car Talk was a very informative and humorous program. I did notexpect to get a laugh out of it, but to my surprise I did. It can reallyhelp solve those troublesome car problems. Car Talk was a really coolshow and if I ever am riding along at ten in the morning on aSaturday, I would definitely listen to it again.

How to Turn a Worksheet into an Engaging Activity

How to Turn a Worksheet into an Engaging Activity Lets face it, worksheets are not fun. To students, the mere presence of them means boring and for us teachers, they are just another thing that we have to give students to help them learn or reinforce a concept. But, what if I told you that you can take these boring worksheets and turn them into something fun, and something that would required no extra prep time? The Cornerstoneforteachers.com came up with 5 no prep ways that you can do this that are genius. Heres how. 1. Worksheet Cut-Up Place students into groups of five and give them one worksheet per group that has each question on the sheet cut up. For example, if your worksheet has ten questions on it, all ten questions would be cut up into a separate strip of paper. Next, students will each take turns choosing a role. The roles for the game are as follows: Person 1 - reads the questionPerson 2 - Paraphrases the question and may or may not offer a few cluesPerson 3 - Gives their answer and explains why they chose that answerPerson 4 - Agrees or disagrees with person 3 and explains their reasoningPerson 5 - Places the strip of paper into a pile that agrees or disagrees with the answer, then they take on the role of person number 1 for the next question. The roles continue to shift until all of the question strips are answered. At the end of the game, students look through their disagree pile and try to find some kind of consensus. 2. Everybody Agrees For this activity you must divide students into teams of four. Each team member is given a number 1-4. The teacher asks all groups the same question (from the worksheet) and gives teams a few minutes to come up with an answer. Next, you randomly call a number 1-4 and whoever is that number for each group must share their groups answer. This answer should then be written on a dry erase board to ensure that each answer is unique to the group, and that no one changes their answers. For each correct answer that group gets a point. At the end of the game the group with the most points wins! 3. Lines of Communication Have students stand in two lines facing each other. Choose one question from the worksheet and ask students to discuss the answer with the person that is across from them. Then, randomly ask any person to give an answer. Next, have students in one row move to the right so for the next question they will have a new partner. This goes on until all of the questions on the worksheet are completed and discussed. 4. Making Mistakes This is a fun activity that really gets students excited about learning. For this worksheet activity have students complete all of the questions or the problems on the worksheet, but randomly make one mistake. Then, ask students to exchange papers with the person next to them and have them see if they can find the mistake. 5. Classroom Rotation Have students move their desks so that all students are sitting in a huge circle. Then, have students count off so that each child is either a one or a two. Students then complete one problem on the worksheet with a person next them. When they are finished, call upon a random student to discuss the answer. Next, have all of the twos move down a seat so that all of the ones now have a new partner. Continue to play until the worksheet is completed. Looking for more group activities? Try these cooperative learning activities, or this sample group lesson.

Select one topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Select one topic - Essay Example Hence the term â€Å"ethnicity†. This paper looks behind the deep issues involved in the rise of the term â€Å"ethnicity† and why social scientists now prefer to use the term â€Å"ethnicity† over â€Å"race†. Various data and irrefutable information will be presented coming from peer-reviewed journals, books, and appropriate websites in order to explain how the change from â€Å"race† to â€Å"ethnicity† took place over the course of time. A look into the history of the study of human race and its evolution will show that the concept of â€Å"race† is something that can trace its early roots to the European slave trade. The concept itself is the result of a scientific revolution that emerged during the time of European imperialism and colonization. Due to the influence of people from various parts of the world upon European culture and social conduct, Europeans began to suspect that there were marked differences in the physical, social, and cultural awareness of human groups. It became their opinion that some human beings from particular parts of the world were of a higher physical, social, and cultural background than the rest. Therefore, a division between the people must exist. This division was meant to connote the higher group of people from those deemed more inferior. The term â€Å"race† was then coined in order to create a semblance of control over the African slaves using a type of mind conditio ning related to the term used to describe them or their â€Å"race†. With the widespread use of the term â€Å"race† across the globe, it became clear to social scientists that the term was used to define the real or imagined physical differences between people. The differences could be based upon visible and obvious differences such as skin color and physical appearance. Once a person is defined by his â€Å"race†, it then becomes his social identity which tends to influence social

The History of Women in the Struggle for America's Independence Essay

The History of Women in the Struggle for America's Independence - Essay Example The most unique aspect of the book was the apparent focus of attention on the contributions of the common woman. Berkin provided a brief acknowledgment of famous revolutionary women such as Martha Washington and Abigail Adams.1 She eventually focused on the core contributions of Native American, black and white women. Consequently, the result was a multifaceted gender revolution by American women. Colonial and Revolutionary Role of Women The colonial society associated the role of women with the traditional function of mother and wife. A majority of the colonial women believed that God created them as helpmates to man and nature.2 Furthermore, the woman was taught since childhood to be obedient, industrious, and faithful with the primary function of bearing and taking care of children. These roles were cemented by religious doctrines such as those by the Puritan divine Cotton Mather that taught women to be like an â€Å"Ornament of Zion looking upon (a husband) as her guide.†3 Later, a new ideal of femininity based on â€Å"pretty gentlewoman† shifted from that of â€Å"notable housewife.†4 The â€Å"pretty gentlewoman† was associated with cleanliness as the primary function and was assisted by slaves and maidservants. ... Among the first evidence of women’s activeness was to say â€Å"No† to colonial policies. This involved the denial to consume British merchant goods such as imported tea.6 Furthermore, the patriotic women followed their husbands to war with some assuming the role of â€Å"camp followers.† Their regular duties included cleaning and cooking for the soldiers.7 Moreover, some women such as Deborah Sampson fought as soldiers although in disguise. In addition, the author narrated about Margaret Corbin who provided water for cooling the cannons during combat and equally assisted the disabled husbands. African American women were more concerned with the quest for freedom and liberty. Consequently, they followed the Loyalist army of the British after being promised freedom from slavery. Evidence advanced by the author from the Philipsburg Proclamation stated, â€Å"†¦every negro who shall desert the Rebel Standard will be granted full security to follow within these , Lines, any occupation he shall think proper.†8 The Native American Indian tribes fought for the British since they hoped for independence and land rights.9 Consequently, it was the influential native women leaders such as Nanyehi and Queen Esther Montour that influenced the Indians into fighting for the king. The war placed a heavy price on the values of women involved in the revolution especially the camp followers. Berkin described the pathetic state in which the women lived and dressed. She illustrated the ragged state of their clothing which got worse as the women were forced to wear â€Å"the coats or shirts they removed from dead or dying soldiers.†10 Furthermore, women were given meager wages for their services.

Being a teenager Essay Example for Free

Being a teenager Essay When you leave primary school you become a young adult, and all things that you believed in are either reinforced or broken. You can be lucky and be accepted as a popular person or for simply being yourself; you could remain an outcast until you leave that school. There is a hierarchy that is followed in each school, and both the boys and girls follow it. There is in both cases a leader for the boys and for the girls, then there are those who follow the leaders. Then there are those who dont fit in at all and become loners. Its difficult to listen to your parents when they continually say to you, these are the best days of your life because sometimes, you struggle to see how this can be so. You feel pressure, a strong need to fit in even for just a moment, and even though you are told by your parents, no matter what grade you get we will always love you. There is still a deep feeling inside that if you dont do well, you will let your parents down and you will destroy your life. There is also a fear suppressed and hidden beneath the surface, that if you do too well, you will be called a stew by all of your peers. So you are caught in a catch twenty-two; and there is no way of avoiding the stress or worry. The best thing to deal whit the stress and worries is to pass over your fears and dont care what your peers are saying. When you are a young person everything revolves around your school live. For those that you meet in school are those you will stick with for the five to seven years that you stay there, and some of the friends you meet there may be your friends for life. You constantly are trying to better yourself in school in order to get the attention of others. You go to sleepovers, shopping and clubbing all with the people you meet in school. This puts pressure on you because you feel the need to be perfect and to fit in with all the rest of your peers. Bullying is in full flow when you are a young person, its not physical in my opinion its mainly verbal, or the people just basically exclude you completely. There are those who stand in a group of people and seem like they in a crowd or click but what others dont realize it that they arent included in the conversation what so ever. Music, television, celebrities and school control all of my actions as well as all other young people. The music that you like and listen to can determine the kind of people you will end up being friends with. Television influences how we talk, what we wear, and even affect our opinions about things. Celebrities make us want to make ourselves better and by better I mean thinner and more fashionable, and school effects what group we are in as well as the possibility that we may not fit in at all. So being a young person is anything but easy at times, there are so many different pressures that surround your life. From restless nights for exams to being able to fit in with all the popular people. Though we do have goodnights out and live for the night, when morning comes sometimes it wasnt just quite worth it. Starting jobs and keeping hormones under control is more difficult now than ever, because of influences on television. Those who surround us are constantly judging us, and we feel that we are also being judged by the outside world. Though we know there is always the one thing we can always rely on; our mobiles and in my case my family. So do you think now that its easy being a teen?

The Machines of Death Are Dying Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essa

The Machines of Death Are Dying Capital punishment is, by definition, punishing a crime with death. The death penalty has been used periodically throughout American history since 1608, when the first recorded death sentence was imposed. According to "Executions in the U.S.: The Espy File," by M. Walt Espy and John Ortiz Smylka, there was a gradual incline in the number of executions from that time and throughout the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries, peaking at 200 executions per year in the mid-1930s. There was a subsequent decline in imposition, followed by a moratorium, which ended in 1976 (1). The moratorium was initiated in the 1972 case Furman v. Georgia, when the Supreme Court declared that the death penalty had been applied arbitrarily and used unfairly against the poor and African American. Capital punishment was called, "excessive, unnecessary, offensive to contemporary values" by Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall (3). The death penalty was reinstated in 1976 when guided discretion statutes in Georgia, Texas, and Florida were deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court. The Court also deemed the death penalty constitutional under the Eighth Amendment, which states, "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted." The question, then, is whether or not capital punishment can really be cleared of the identification as being cruel and unusual. The basis of the American judicial system has long been said to be the need to find fair forms of retribution for crimes. The worst of those crimes is generally considered to be the intentional mur... ...dollars since the moratorium ended in 1976 (1). The death penalty is one instance in which the costs definitely outweigh the benefits. As it stands, the death penalty should no longer be used in America because it is riddled with imperfections in so many ways. Capital punishment does not serve as an effective incapacitator or deterrent to criminal behavior. It is an inhumane and costly procedure that dehumanizes American culture. As a nation that practices this flawed form of discipline we are isolated from our Western culture counterparts, and the fact that we continue this practice reduces America's credibility as a global leader. In order to place the American judicial system - and culture as a whole - where it belongs on all levels, the system of capital punishment must be abolished.

Whales vs Dolphins

The oceans are inhabited by various kinds of animals and plants, such as fish, cetacean (whales, dolphins and porpoises), cephalopods (octopus and squid), crustaceans (lobsters, clams, shrimp and krill), planktons, starfish, Jelly fish etc. The largest In bulk Is the cetacean order. Although whales and dolphins have different outer appearance they belong to the same order and share many similarities. First of all, they are both mammals and share similar characteristics of the anatomy.They have similar vital organs and skeleton, and they breathe and eproduce in the same way. If we scrutinize (take under scrutiny) their way of breathing, we can see that both of them breathe through blow holes which are nasal openings on top of their head. Both breathe with lungs which make them different from the class of fish. Moreover, they reproduce in the same way – by giving birth to a live young which is nourished with milk by its mothers. 80th have one calf at a time and their gestation p eriod ranges from 9 to 18 months.The calves are born tall first to minimize the risk of drowning. Then the calf Is lifted by Its mother to the surface so that It takes Its first breath. Nursing continues for more than a year. Secondly, we can spot many similarltles regarding their social behavior, vocalization and sleeping methods. Whales and dolphins live In plods which are groups of either whales or dolphins respectively. Members of the pod protect each other, feed and migrate together. The number of pods members may vary from 2 to 50. Additionally, they communicate between each other by emitting sounds i. . by vocalization. There use dfferent sounds for different purposes. Generally, these sounds are used for communication, attracting mates and localizing pray i. e. echolocation. What is more, they display similar behavior when it comes down to their sleeping methods. They are both conscious breathers and thus they cannot afford to be unconscious while sleeping because that may l ead to drowning. Hence only one hemisphere of their brain sleeps at a time, so they rest but are never completely asleep. Thirdly, they are considered to have high Intelligence and emotional empathy.Both are highly social beings and they have a complex form of communication with each other which can be defined as language. They cooperate with each other, teach, learn and even grieve. They are very protective of each other and will defend their family and pod from any potential threats. Moreover, they are able to sympathies not only with their relatives but also with other animals in need. Their possession of spindle cells indicates a possibility of high intelligence. Spindle cells are also found in humans, apes and elephants.Scientists find them to have an important role in any cognitive abilities and disabilities ranging from great perceptiveness and perfect pitch to autism and dyslexia. What Is more, in self-awareness experiments they can Identify their reflections in a mirror. To sum up, despite their different physical appearance they are strikingly slmllar. They belong to the same cetacean order and thus share many traits regarding their are compassionate, sociable animals which treat their families in a similar way we do. They are fascinating creatures and I believe that there is even more to surprise us if we explore them further.

The Laws and Governmental Structure of Iran

In the spring of 1979, Irans Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was ousted from power and the exiled Shia cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to take control of a new form of government in this ancient land in what has become known as the Iranian Revolution in 1979. On April 1, 1979, the Kingdom of Iran became the Islamic Republic of Iran after a national referendum. The new theocratic government structure was complex  and included a mixture of elected and unelected officials. Who is who in Irans government? How does this government function? The Supreme Leader At the apex of Irans government stands the  Supreme Leader. As head of state, he has broad powers, including command of the armed forces, appointment of the head of the judiciary and of half of the Guardian Councils members, and confirmation of presidential election results. However, the Supreme Leaders power is not entirely unchecked. He is selected by the Assembly of Experts, and could even be recalled by them (although this has never actually happened.) So far, Iran has had two Supreme Leaders: the Ayatollah Khomeini, 1979-1989, and the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 1989-present. The Guardian Council One of the most powerful forces in Irans government is the Guardian Council, which consists of twelve top Shia clerics. Six of the council members are appointed by the Supreme Leader, while the remaining six are nominated by the judiciary and then approved by the parliament. The Guardian Council has the power to veto any bill passed by parliament if it is judged inconsistent with the Iranian Constitution or with Islamic law. All bills must be approved by the council before they become law. Another important function of the Guardian Council is the approval of potential presidential candidates. The highly conservative council generally blocks most reformists and all women from running. The Assembly of Experts Unlike the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council, the Assembly of Experts is directly elected by the people of Iran. The assembly has 86 members, all clerics, who are elected for eight-year terms. Candidates for the assembly are vetted by the Guardian Council. The Assembly of Experts is responsible for appointing the Supreme Leader and supervising his performance. In theory, the assembly could even remove a Supreme Leader from office. Officially based in Qom, Irans holiest city, the assembly often actually meets in Tehran or Mashhad. The President Under the Iranian Constitution, the President is head of the government. He is charged with implementing the constitution  and managing domestic policy. However, the Supreme Leader controls the armed forces and makes major security and foreign policy decisions, so the power of the presidency is rather sharply curtailed. The president is elected directly by the people of Iran for a four-year term. He can serve no more than two consecutive terms  but can be elected again after a break. That is to say, for example, that a single politician could be elected in 2005, 2009, not in 2013, but then again in 2017. The Guardian Council vets all potential presidential candidates and usually rejects most reformers and all women. The Majlis — Iran's Parliament Irans unicameral parliament, called the Majlis, has 290 members. (The name literally means place of sitting in Arabic.) Members are directly elected every four years, but again the Guardian Council vets all candidates. The Majlis writes and votes on bills. Before any law is enacted, however, it must be approved by the Guardian Council. Parliament also approves the national budget and ratifies international treaties. In addition, the Majlis has the authority to impeach the president or cabinet members. The Expediency Council Created in 1988, the Expediency Council is supposed to resolve conflicts over legislation between the Majlis and the Guardian Council. The Expediency Council is considered an advisory board for the Supreme Leader, who appoints its 20-30 members from among both religious and political circles. Members serve for five years  and may be reappointed indefinitely. The Cabinet The President of Iran nominates the 24 members of the Cabinet  or Council of Ministers. Parliament then approves or rejects the appointments; it also has the ability to impeach the ministers. The first vice-president chairs the cabinet. Individual ministers are responsible for specific topics such as Commerce, Education, Justice, and Petroleum Supervision. The Judiciary The Iranian judiciary ensures that all laws passed by the Majlis conform with Islamic law (sharia)  and that the law is enforced according to the principles of sharia. The judiciary also selects six of the twelve members of the Guardian Council, who then must be approved by the Majlis. (The other six are appointed by the Supreme Leader.) The Supreme Leader also appoints the Head of the Judiciary, who selects the Chief Supreme Court Justice and the Chief Public Prosecutor. There are several different types of lower courts, including public courts for ordinary criminal and civil cases; revolutionary courts, for national security matters (decided without provision for appeal); and the Special Clerical Court, which acts independently in matters of alleged crimes by clerics, and is overseen personally by the Supreme Leader. The Armed Forces A final piece of the Iranian governmental puzzle is the Armed Forces. Iran has a regular army, air force, and navy, plus the Revolutionary Guard Corps (or Sepah), which is in charge of internal security. The regular armed forces include approximately 800,000 troops total in all branches. The Revolutionary Guard has an estimated 125,000 troops, plus control over the Basij militia, which has members in every town in Iran. Although the exact number of Basij is unknown, it is probably between 400,000 and several million. The Supreme Leader is Commander-in-Chief of the military  and appoints all top commanders. Due to its intricate set of checks and balances, the Iranian government can get bogged down in times of crisis. It includes a volatile mix of elected and appointed career politicians and Shia clerics, from ultra-conservative to reformist. Altogether, Irans leadership is a fascinating case study in hybrid government — and the only functioning theocratic government on Earth today.