Discuss the role of social medias influence (Twitter, Facebook, and Essay - 2

Talk about the job of social medias impact (Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube) in the lives of kids and youthful youngsters today - Essay Example The AACAP states that â€Å"60% of 13 to 17 years of age have in any event one profile on a long range interpersonal communication site† (Aacap 1). Interpersonal interaction sites have a few highlights and one of the most significant highlights is news and data. Data accessible on these sites incorporates scholarly related data just as news in regards to recent developments (Strader 98). At the point when kids get to these highlights they wind up creating understanding with respect to what's going on in their general surroundings. This element even encourages them in learning more than what is offered at schools. Internet based life is in any event, helping kids create and support social connections. Internet based life, for example, Facebook permits kids to discuss online with others including youngsters from their own schools. OKeeffe states that â€Å"social media permit adolescents to achieve different assignments incorporating remaining associated with friends† (OKeeffe 1). This helps youngsters in staying in steady contact with companions consistently. This expansion in time went through with companions even prompts increment in the continuing of associations with people who exist in the virtual just as the physical world. Online networking is in any event, helping kids in keeping themselves engaged. Internet based life, for example, YouTube permits kids to share pictures, recordings, music and activities with other online life clients (Harlen 122). YouTube helps kids in finding their main tunes and films and kids get to these engaging components to keep themselves occupied and engaged. Youngsters even offer their own recordings and tunes over YouTube to communicate before other online networking clients. OKeeffe states that online life helps in the â€Å"enhancement of individual and aggregate inventiveness through turn of events and sharing of aesthetic and melodic endeavors† (OKeeffe 1). There are

Managing In Hospitality Essay Example for Free

Overseeing In Hospitality Essay To persuade the administration, the proprietor must have the option to convey his thoughts and observations unmistakably. The proprietor may confront a touch of trouble doing this, since the directors have been around for long, and they most likely realize their exchange well. It is as yet conceivable, be that as it may. Something that the proprietor can do is gain the trust of his supervisors. Nonetheless, it can't be the math based trust or ID based trustâ€it must be through hierarchical citizenship conduct. In particular, he needs to ensure that every individual from the administration is dealt with reasonably. For example, with this issue, he should allow every single one to voice out their conclusion in regards to the updating of the inn, and clarify why they are against it. This will tell them that despite the fact that the owner’s thoughts might be in strife with those of the management’s, the proprietor despite everything esteems their insight and regards their situation as chiefs. When they all get their opportunity to share their considerations, the proprietor should then clarify his side, yet doing whatever it takes not to contend with his administrators regarding which is the better arrangement, as this will just make contact, as meaningful clash, and it will be considerably progressively hard to persuade the administration to redesign the lodging. Rather, the gathering ought to arrange, or deal, and attempt to locate a shared opinion. Since everybody has had his side heard by this point, they can address the inquiries encompassing the issue of why moving up to a 5-star inn may be an ill-conceived notion, and what should be possible to turn this around or to make up for it. In conclusion, the proprietor should attempt to control his feelings while clarifying his side. Regardless of how brutal or how dull the administration might be, viewing his choices as â€Å"unnecessary†, the proprietor must remain genuinely steady. The equivalent goes for the managementâ€if one of them unexpectedly begins raising his voice, he ought to be quieted down before continuing with the gathering. They ought to likewise be helped to remember their positionsâ€they are chiefs, not ownersâ€and should regard the owner’s authority over them. The proprietor himself ought not push his weight around. Works Cited Chase, Courtney. â€Å"Interpersonal Behavior in the Workplace.†

Book Riots Deals of the Day for September 22nd, 2019

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Wal-Mart and Human Resource Management - 2775 Words

Human Resources and Wal-mart Penicia Rooks MGT490 Strategic Human Resources Planning Instructor Stepheny Finnie February 6th, 2012 Human Resources and Wal-mart Wal-mart is the number one retail store in the U.S. and was founded by Sam Walton in 1962. Wal-mart has expanded to include the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, China, and various other places. In 1988, Wal-mart developed the Supercenter concept to meet the growing demand for one stop family shopping. Supercenters combine grocery and general merchandise all under one roof. Their purpose is saving people money to help them live better (Wal-Mart, n.d). Even their success Wal-mart has still had many lawsuits for violating labor laws and†¦show more content†¦With every company there come strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and Wal-mart is no exception. Wal-mart sits at the number one spot when it comes to retail businesses but they have had many issues; in particular labor law violations because they did not allow their employees to take required lunch and meal breaks. The focus of the SWOT analysis is to identify the key internal and external factors that are important to achieving the objective. SWOT analysis groups key pieces of information into two main categories; internal factors and external factors. The internal factors are the strengths and weaknesses that are internal to the company while the external factors are the opportunities and threats that presented by the external environment. The internal factors are determined by their impact on the company’s objectives. What may represent strengths with respect to one objective may be weaknesses for another objective. The external factors may include technological change, legislation, cultural changes, and changes in the marketplace or competitive position (Wood, 2008). The strengths of a company are the qualities that enable them to accomplish their mission. According to walmartstores.com Wal-mart strives to help people save money so that they can live better. Wal-Mart is known as a powerfulShow MoreRelatedWalmart: Organizing Funtion of Management1007 Words   |  5 PagesOrganizing Function of Management Organizing is defined as the assembly and coordination of the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals. (Bateman Snell, 2009, pg. 20) This function is also referred to as the function used to build a dynamic organization. (Bateman Snell, 2009, pg. 20) When looking at the organization process Sam Walton the founder of Wal-Mart made sure from the very beginning to keep up with his competitors. In 1972 Kmart expandedRead MoreMgt/330 Wal-Mart Organizational Paper1102 Words   |  5 PagesWal-Mart Organizing Paper Ian Ericson MGT/330 February 19, 2013 David Ball Wal-Mart Organizing Paper Business economy today has seen vast amounts of businesses fail. However, Wal-Mart Corporation is standing and increases their revenue yearly. In 2009 alone, Wal-Mart generated approximately $404 billion dollars in revenue. That type of success only proves that the organization has everything in order to keep on the track of success. Within this paper, an evaluation of the organizingRead MoreThe Key Financial Commitments That The Company Must Make A Strategy For Managing Human Resources818 Words   |  4 PagesThe key financial commitments that the company must make are the following ones. In fact, for sound financial management of the company, decision makers of Wal-Mart should develop consistent tools. They have to find both forecasting tools and control tools. Indeed, forecasting tools are tools that are based on objectives to achieve. In general, it is made by the internal workers to the company to guide those responsible for achieving the financial objectives of the company. Moreover, the controlRead MoreErp Management System Is The Mode Of The Modern Enterprise Management1503 Words   |  7 Pages ERP management system is the mode of the modern enterprise management. It is a company-wide application, highly integrated system, covering the customer, project management, inventory and purchasing supplies pr oduction, by optimizing the enterprise resources to maximize resource efficiency. ERP management software is a management accounting as the core of the information system, identifying and planning the enterprise resources, thereby obtaining a customer order, complete the processing and deliveryRead MoreCompetitive Advantage Vs. Competitive Strategy1514 Words   |  7 Pagesprocesses. 4. Human resource practices. Retailers launch different policies to describe their relationship with employees. 5. Expansion policies. Retailers decide where to expand its market. 6. Product selection. Retailers must choose the mix of goods they sell. 7. Cost consciousness. Retailers pursue to minimize overhead to enlarge profits. 8. Customer service. Retailers decide how to treat customers. As one of the form of competitive strategy, a firm must have a good supply chain management. SupplyRead MoreWalmarts Compensation Strategy: The Reason for the Companys Success Profitability and Position1768 Words   |  7 PagesWal-Marts Compensation Strategy: The success of companies in todays market place is a process that involves the way business practitioners manage its workers and the financial resources and structures. The management of employees, structures, and financial resources includes the development and establishment of effective compensation strategy. Actually, the lack of a sound compensation system has negative impacts on the companys ability to recruit and retain competent and best-qualified employeesRead MoreStrategy Management Wal Mart and K Mart1108 Words   |  5 PagesStrategic Management Assignment 8 1. Do Wal Mart and K Mart exploit any merger and acquisition in recent 5-10 years? Merger amp;Acquisition | Wal Mart | K Mart | Acquisition | -Bempreco: This company has been acquiesced by Wal mart.   Bempreco is a retail chain in northeastern Brazil with 118 units (hypermarkets, supermarkets and mini markets). The acquisition gives Wal-Mart Brazil its first stores in the Northeast market. -Seiyu GK: is a Japanese group of  supermarkets, shopping centersRead MoreThe Organization Structure of Walmart1240 Words   |  5 PagesOrganization structure of Wal-Mart Introduction The Wal-Mart was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 in 719 Walnut Avenue in Rogers, Arkansas. Today there are 706 stores that are running in the USA offering competitive prices and good shopping experience to millions of Americans across the USA. The size of and average store, according to Wal-Mart Corporate (2011a) is 108,000 square feet and has an employee base of about 225 people. Wal-Mart is said to have one of the most efficient merchandise replenishmentRead MoreWallmart Resources and Capabilities1361 Words   |  6 PagesJuly 5, 2011 Resources and Capabilities of Wal-Mart Wal-Mart had enough financial resources to make capital investments to improve its operations and labor productivity. Most important investments were technological investments such as the UPC (Uniform Product Code) infrastructure, the computerized system within stores and the satellite network that enabled almost real-time communication among the stores, the distribution centers and vendors. These technological resources can also be classifiedRead MoreWal Mart Needs For Employees Wages847 Words   |  4 Pages Suggested Approach I suggest that Wal-Mart need to fix the employees’ wages along with sufficient hours, so employees can live a comfortable and normal without any complications. Prioritized Initiatives Wal-Mart need to raise employees’ wages according to each person’s position and from location to location. â€Å"Under pressure from its own workers and the public, Walmart stated that it would also increase wages for its 500,000 lowest-paid U.S. workers. In April 2015, the nation’s largest employer

Iagos Soliloquies In Othello Analysis - 931 Words

Analyzing Iago’s Soliloquies in Othello Othello the play by William Shakespeare starts in Venice with Iago and Roderigo conversing. Iago is a soldier under the order of Othello and has been paid to keep an eye on Othello by Roderigo who wants to get Othellos fiance, Desdemona. Be that as it may, Iago does not give full disclosure to Roderigo and in this manner doubting issues emerge. Othello and Desdemona wed each other, and when Brabantio, the father of Desdemona comes to blame Othello for utilizing enchantment on his girl as he says in Act 1 Scene 2 Line 64 â€Å"Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her!† They both reveal to him that it was love that united them. In the meantime, Iago is infuriated that Othello did not pick him as his†¦show more content†¦He is selfish, and he manipulates others as is seen in his plans. Iago’s character is evil and manipulative. Soliloquy 2 In act 2, scene 1, Iago comes out with a plan on how he would use Cassio to get to Othello. He works out a plot that involves Desdemona in an unreal love triangle that will make Othello jealous. Iago also banks on the bad advice he gave Roderigo that he should pursue Desdemona who eventually may get tired of her husband, Othello. Iago still fears that Othello may have slept with his wife as stated in Act 2 Scene 1 Lines 297-301, â€Å"For that I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leaped into my seat, the thought whereof Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw at my innards; and nothing can or shall content my soul Till I am evened with him, wife for wife.† and on that account wishes to be with Desdemona or make Othello jealous. He also confesses that he has plotted something evil for them when he says, â€Å"And practicing upon his peace and quiet, Even to madness. Tis here, but yet confused. Knavery’s plain face is never seen till used† (Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 312-314). He is seen as cunning and too witty. His wisdom, however, is for injustice and plotting revenge. Soliloquy 3 The relationship between CassioShow MoreRelated Critical Analysis of Iagos Soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 3 of Othello by William Shakespeare680 Words   |  3 PagesCritical Analysis of Iagos Soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 3 of Othello by William Shakespeare Iago’s second soliloquy is very revealing. It shows him shaping a plan out of the confusion of his emotionally charged thoughts. Iago examines his own thoughts, especially his hatred for Othello: â€Å"The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not† He is also suffering from the â€Å"poisonous mineral† of jealousy that still swirls around the rumour that Othello has slept with Emilia. Iago couldRead MoreOthello, by William Shakespeare Essay1090 Words   |  5 PagesIn Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago is portrayed as a cruel puppet master, using his high order critical analysis and manipulative skills to exact on those he believe wronged him; as he weaves a web of deceit to ensnare the play’s protagonist (and namesake of the play) Othello. Various movie adaptations have portrayed the characters in different ways, often resulting in a fusion of the context of the age, artistic license and Shakespeare’s character. One such fusion is Stuart Burge’s 1965 filmic portrayalRead MoreAnalysis of Act One of Othello by William Shakespeare Essay1474 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of Act One of Othello by William Shakespeare Act 1 is an exceptionally indicative passage of writing in which Shakespeare attempts to divulge the coarse essence of Iagos nature to the audience. Indeed, by the conclusion of line 66 the audience not only understands - in broad terms - Iagos motives and grievances, but also something of the manner in which he intends to consummate Read MoreSummary Of The Prince During The 1500 S1622 Words   |  7 Pageslearning of his daughter’s marriage and he proclaims â€Å"Thou art a villain!† to which Iago replies, â€Å"You are a-senator!† (i.i.12). This was very significant because Iago is informing the audience that Brabantio was stating the obvious, but because of Iago’s cunningness, Brabantio does not catch on. Iago also contains the ability to charm and convince people of his loyalty, but he ends up double crossing all who considered him a friend. Many of these characters call him â€Å"Honest Iago†, a malapropism inRead MoreEssay about Analysis of an Extract from William Shakespeares Othello980 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of an Extract from William Shakespeares Othello In the play Othello, four characters are murdered. The character Iago, who manipulated certain characters into wanting to kill them. Desdemona, Emilia, Othello, and Roderigo, are killed. Iago originally did this out of jealousy of Othello and Roderigo. The deaths of these four characters were inevitable. There was justice in this play for all of the characters who were involved in the killing of the four charactersRead MoreOthello As The Hero And Villain2002 Words   |  9 Pages â€Å"Othello has a propensity to jealousy and possesses a weak character† FR Leavis, 1952 To what extent do you agree with this view? Remember to include in your answer relevant comment about Shakespeare’s dramatic methods. There are two opposing views of Othello as the hero and villain that have dominated criticisms of Othello. One school of thought suggests that Othello is a noble hero who is brought down by a devil, whose actions cannot be explained absolutely. Others may view Othello as a naiveRead MoreIago of William Shakespeares Othello Essay885 Words   |  4 PagesIago of William Shakespeares Othello Iago has a great understanding of people and how they will react to different situations and this skill allows him to control the action so neatly that it as if is he himself is the playwright. He has no regard for the thoughts of others and skilfully manipulates those around him to trick them to play a part in a strategy he has so meticulously planned, for example, the brawl scene. But by no means does he carry out his plans regardlessRead More Shakespeares Othello and Uncontrolled Jealousy Essay1858 Words   |  8 PagesOthello and Uncontrolled Jealousy  Ã‚      Dominating the protagonist in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello is the passion of sexual jealousy. Dominating the antagonist is another type of jealousy toward Cassio, and hatred toward the general. Let us look closely at the concept of jealousy as it is revealed in this drama. Lily B. Campbell in Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes definitively categorizes Othello as a â€Å"study in jealousy†: Othello has suffered less in its modern interpretation thanRead More Othello: Themes Essay1946 Words   |  8 PagesOthello: Themes  Ã‚        Ã‚   How many themes course through the Shakespearean tragedy Othello? Let us in this essay analyze the variety and depth of the themes in this play.    Lily B. Campbell in Shakespeare’s Tragic Heroes indicates that hate is the theme on which this play opens:    It is then on a theme of hate that the play opens. It is a hate of inveterate anger. It is a hate that is bound up with envy. Othello has preferred to be his lieutenant a military theorist, one MichaelRead More Shakespeares Othello: Jealousy Sexual in Nature Essay2214 Words   |  9 PagesOthello: Jealousy Sexual in Nature  Ã‚        Ã‚   William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello manifests a lot of activity motivated by a variety of passions, some good and others not so. Let’s analyze what many critics consider to be the dominant passion on the part of the protagonist’s most significant actions.    A. C. Bradley, in his book of literary criticism, Shakespearean Tragedy, describes the dominant motivating passion in Othello:    In the second place, there is no subject more exciting

Can Machines Think Free Essays

Can Machines Think ? This paper regards several points of view on the subject of, what is commonly referred to as Artificial Intelligence, or AI. AI is the attempt to make machines, specifically computers, perform intelligently through programming. Already, this definition has a problem in that the word intelligence can have many interpretations. We will write a custom essay sample on Can Machines Think? or any similar topic only for you Order Now This essay will attempt to put forward some ideas for how to approach this problem. It could be said that the human brain is nothing more than a machine, and as we know it to be capable of thought it would be fair to surmise that therefore machines can think and it is probably this, or a similar premise that inspired AI. However, within AI there are many schools of thought. Some believe that if a computer can be programmed correctly to emulate certain human processes, then it is to all intense and purposes thinking as we do. One of the early pioneers in the world of computers, Alan Turing, outlined a test in which participants are asked to interrogate a computer terminal in order to determine whether they are communicating with a human, or a computer program. Examples of programs which were put through the Turing test are ELIZA and SHRDLU both of which attempted to emulate one side of human conversation. But even if these programs did appear to be totally human, could they be said to actually be thinking ? John Searle(1984) puts forward a scenario in an attempt to devalue this idea. He refers to a program by Roger Schank at Yale university which, after being given a story will be able to answer questions regarding it. It would seem at the outset that this program would therefore be understanding the story. Searle then argues that despite not being able to understand Chinese, he would, under the correct circumstances, be able to answers Chinese questions in Chinese, relating to a story also written in Chinese. The scenario is summarised as follows; Sitting isolated in a room, Searle is given a wad of Chinese script, followed by another. In addition he is given a list of English rules, for correctly correlating the two. By simply following the English rules, he writes a third set of chinese words which he then returns to someone outside the room. If the first set of script was a story, the second a set of questions, he could be said to be answering the questions. In fact, from the point of view of someone standing outside the room, he would be correctly answering the questions, and thus would appear to be conversant in Chinese. This of course is not the case, as Searle would have no knowledge of what the story was about, and what the questions were asking – he would not be understanding the story. This argument is an attempt to demonstrate that although a computer program appears to be understanding a story, it is merely obeying simple instructions, and has no understanding at all. â€Å"In the linguistic jargon, they have only a syntax but no semantics† (Searle 1984) However, depending on hown one observes this problem, it can appear very differently. Regarding the entire room, the person in the room (to whom I shall refer for the sake of continuity of terms as a demon), the scripts and the person outside as a whole, we do have a system that is capable of reading and interpreting Chinese. Hofstadter extends this idea by modifying the scenario so as to shrink it to brain size, the scripts becoming neurons and so on. This effectively creates a system equivalent to the human brain. So what would be the difference between the two. Why would one be acceptable as a thinking system and one not ? Searle frequently refers to ‘causal properties’ and ‘intentionality’ stating that the artificial system proposed by Hofstadter would lack both of them, and that somehow the human brian has both. It is here where the subject of duality comes into the fore. Are the mind and the brain one and the same, or are they separate entities ? Many religions favour this dualist approach and refer to the mind, as it is in this instance, as a persons soul and regard it as being separate to the physical self. Whether the mind is separate or not, Searle’s argument implies that the human brain has a mind, because of its natural causal properties, yet an artificial machine does not. But what are these natural causal properties, and from what do they derive ? Are they a result of the biological material from which the brain is made, are they a result of the brain’s structure or are they a result of a breath of life from the lips of a god ? â€Å"Machines as simple as thermostats can be said to have beliefs, and having beliefs seems to be a characteristic of most machines capable of problem solving performance† (McCarthy 1979) At what point does a functioning machine gain intentionality ? Here Zenon Pylyshyn is cited from a reply made to Searle, to illustrate the complex connotations involved in the idea of the natural causal property of the brain. If more and more of the cells in your brain were to be replaced by integrated circuit chips, programmed in such a way as to keep the input-output function of each unit identical to that of the unit being replaced, you would in all likelihood just keep right on speaking exactly as you are doing now except that you would eventually stop meaning anything by it. What we outside observe rs might take to be words would become for you just certain noises that circuits caused you to make. Surely, the person in the above example would have conscious, intentional thought, despite being constructed from artificial parts. Or would this person simply be acting in the same role as the chinese room demon ? Another area rapidly developing in AI is Parallel Distributed Processing, or neural networks. These are complex structures that emulate the brains neural structure, and are usually modelled within a computer, although in theory there is nothing to stop them being constructed electronically, or even mechanically! The effect of a neural network is similar to that in Pylyshyn’s example – an electronic replacement for a part of the brain. Functionally it operates almost identically to a brain and can be made to do tasks similar to those performed by Schank’s story program. Could a neural network equivalent be said to have any more ‘causal properties’ than just a computer program ? Searle acknowledges that since we are merely machines, it is possible that machines can think. However he finds the idea of a computer program thinking implausible. However, if we could model a brain, with atomic accuracy in a computers memory, for example in the form of a neural network, surely it would work in exactly the same way and would therefore be just as valid a thinker as a human. It seems that this whole debate rests its most basic principles on a belief; either one believes that our ‘intentionality’ derives purely from our brain and its structure or one doesn’t. Even if we ever do manage to construct an exact replica of a brain that appears to work identically to the real thing, how could we tell if it really is a conscious entity with true intentionality, or merely acting like the chinese room demon ? Indeed, how can we define conscious, and intentionality in that context. There must be a level of functioning or reasoning that we can use as a cut-off point for deciding whether or not something is alive and thinking. Descartes stated â€Å"I think. Therefore, I am†. But was he thinking, or merely following a mechanical pattern, with no real understanding of the words ? References How to cite Can Machines Think?, Papers Can Machines Think Free Essays Can Machines Think ? This paper regards several points of view on the subject of, what is commonly referred to as Artificial Intelligence, or AI. AI is the attempt to make machines, specifically computers, perform intelligently through programming. Already, this definition has a problem in that the word intelligence can have many interpretations. We will write a custom essay sample on Can Machines Think? or any similar topic only for you Order Now This essay will attempt to put forward some ideas for how to approach this problem. It could be said that the human brain is nothing more than a machine, and as we know it to be capable of thought it would be fair to surmise that therefore machines can think and it is probably this, or a similar premise that inspired AI. However, within AI there are many schools of thought. Some believe that if a computer can be programmed correctly to emulate certain human processes, then it is to all intense and purposes thinking as we do. One of the early pioneers in the world of computers, Alan Turing, outlined a test in which participants are asked to interrogate a computer terminal in order to determine whether they are communicating with a human, or a computer program. Examples of programs which were put through the Turing test are ELIZA and SHRDLU both of which attempted to emulate one side of human conversation. But even if these programs did appear to be totally human, could they be said to actually be thinking ? John Searle(1984) puts forward a scenario in an attempt to devalue this idea. He refers to a program by Roger Schank at Yale university which, after being given a story will be able to answer questions regarding it. It would seem at the outset that this program would therefore be understanding the story. Searle then argues that despite not being able to understand Chinese, he would, under the correct circumstances, be able to answers Chinese questions in Chinese, relating to a story also written in Chinese. The scenario is summarised as follows; Sitting isolated in a room, Searle is given a wad of Chinese script, followed by another. In addition he is given a list of English rules, for correctly correlating the two. By simply following the English rules, he writes a third set of chinese words which he then returns to someone outside the room. If the first set of script was a story, the second a set of questions, he could be said to be answering the questions. In fact, from the point of view of someone standing outside the room, he would be correctly answering the questions, and thus would appear to be conversant in Chinese. This of course is not the case, as Searle would have no knowledge of what the story was about, and what the questions were asking – he would not be understanding the story. This argument is an attempt to demonstrate that although a computer program appears to be understanding a story, it is merely obeying simple instructions, and has no understanding at all. â€Å"In the linguistic jargon, they have only a syntax but no semantics† (Searle 1984) However, depending on hown one observes this problem, it can appear very differently. Regarding the entire room, the person in the room (to whom I shall refer for the sake of continuity of terms as a demon), the scripts and the person outside as a whole, we do have a system that is capable of reading and interpreting Chinese. Hofstadter extends this idea by modifying the scenario so as to shrink it to brain size, the scripts becoming neurons and so on. This effectively creates a system equivalent to the human brain. So what would be the difference between the two. Why would one be acceptable as a thinking system and one not ? Searle frequently refers to ‘causal properties’ and ‘intentionality’ stating that the artificial system proposed by Hofstadter would lack both of them, and that somehow the human brian has both. It is here where the subject of duality comes into the fore. Are the mind and the brain one and the same, or are they separate entities ? Many religions favour this dualist approach and refer to the mind, as it is in this instance, as a persons soul and regard it as being separate to the physical self. Whether the mind is separate or not, Searle’s argument implies that the human brain has a mind, because of its natural causal properties, yet an artificial machine does not. But what are these natural causal properties, and from what do they derive ? Are they a result of the biological material from which the brain is made, are they a result of the brain’s structure or are they a result of a breath of life from the lips of a god ? â€Å"Machines as simple as thermostats can be said to have beliefs, and having beliefs seems to be a characteristic of most machines capable of problem solving performance† (McCarthy 1979) At what point does a functioning machine gain intentionality ? Here Zenon Pylyshyn is cited from a reply made to Searle, to illustrate the complex connotations involved in the idea of the natural causal property of the brain. If more and more of the cells in your brain were to be replaced by integrated circuit chips, programmed in such a way as to keep the input-output function of each unit identical to that of the unit being replaced, you would in all likelihood just keep right on speaking exactly as you are doing now except that you would eventually stop meaning anything by it. What we outside observe rs might take to be words would become for you just certain noises that circuits caused you to make. Surely, the person in the above example would have conscious, intentional thought, despite being constructed from artificial parts. Or would this person simply be acting in the same role as the chinese room demon ? Another area rapidly developing in AI is Parallel Distributed Processing, or neural networks. These are complex structures that emulate the brains neural structure, and are usually modelled within a computer, although in theory there is nothing to stop them being constructed electronically, or even mechanically! The effect of a neural network is similar to that in Pylyshyn’s example – an electronic replacement for a part of the brain. Functionally it operates almost identically to a brain and can be made to do tasks similar to those performed by Schank’s story program. Could a neural network equivalent be said to have any more ‘causal properties’ than just a computer program ? Searle acknowledges that since we are merely machines, it is possible that machines can think. However he finds the idea of a computer program thinking implausible. However, if we could model a brain, with atomic accuracy in a computers memory, for example in the form of a neural network, surely it would work in exactly the same way and would therefore be just as valid a thinker as a human. It seems that this whole debate rests its most basic principles on a belief; either one believes that our ‘intentionality’ derives purely from our brain and its structure or one doesn’t. Even if we ever do manage to construct an exact replica of a brain that appears to work identically to the real thing, how could we tell if it really is a conscious entity with true intentionality, or merely acting like the chinese room demon ? Indeed, how can we define conscious, and intentionality in that context. There must be a level of functioning or reasoning that we can use as a cut-off point for deciding whether or not something is alive and thinking. Descartes stated â€Å"I think. Therefore, I am†. But was he thinking, or merely following a mechanical pattern, with no real understanding of the words ? References How to cite Can Machines Think?, Essay examples

Essay Example

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Sports and Public Relations Essay Example

Sports and Public Relations Essay Example Sports and Public Relations Essay Sports and Public Relations Essay This article notes how much a person should give importance to the contracts that he signs for. Michael Vick has primarily lost his reputation through a gradual process by which he has been loosing track of his career and has been loosing all that he has worked hard for to different vices and wrong decisions. The concentration that he once placed upon his career has been re-aligned to the things that he wanted to do.   It could be observed that through the different decisions that he has lately done, he was not able to control the consequences of what he has done that it gradually destroyed his name and the fame that he has been under for several years of playing for the Falcons.Along with loosing his fame and the reputation that he has earned in sports, he has also lost the chances that he had in enjoying financial freedom. It could not be denied that through the path that he has taken, the numerous cases brought about the consequences of his decisions has made him loose tons of c hances that she once enjoyed. This sends a strong message to the society with regards the importance of staying within the rules of the contracts that they have sworn upon to fulfill. The terms of the said contracts need to be respected thus treated as a law that binds the people involved in the said agreement. The implication of the case upon the society has naturally made it certain that the effect of Michael Vick upon those people who were actually treating him as a model, especially that of the young children has been gradually diminishing as well.Article 2: Is Michael Vick friendly to a fault?. DAVE FORSTER, BILL BURKE AND KYLE TUCKER. May 26, 2007. The Virginian-Pilot. http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/print.cfm?story=125491ran=117073.The friends of Michael Vick and their background have led commentators to a conclusion that he too is simply just like those of his friends. True, the saying on â€Å"tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are† is inde ed proven true in this side of Vick’s case. Undeniably, the process by which Vick got into trouble could be connected with who he usually hanged-out with. The people that he usually stayed with were notably involved in drug addiction. This particular fact heightened the situation of the case of Vick with regards drug addiction. Vick is known as loyal friend. However, at this point, his loyalty has caused him several damages to his own self. The trust that he has placed upon his friends and the loyalty that he has served unto them actually made it possible for him to get directly involved with what they were particularly up to. Undeniably, the situation has changed his life and the reputation that he has been taking care of.Article 3: NFL suspends Vick indefinitely. EDT, Fri August 24, 2007. cnn.com/2007/US/law/08/24/michael.vick/index.html.Loosing a good player on the field is such a great loss for NFL Falcon team. This is probably the reason why the suspension for Vick has b een reported with an indefinite span of time. Not suspending him when he was found with fault would have been a great jeopardy on the part of the team’s established name in the industry. Undeniably, they would be compromising the status and the morals as well as the standards of the entire team if they did not make any move when he was pronounced guilty by the court.Understandably, the issue here is all about dignity and reputation. Falcons needed to suspend even one of its strongest and best players for the sake of taking care of the name of the other players and the entire team itself. It has been the best move on the part of the team’s administration to retain the standards of the entire team in front of its internal and external connections as well.Article 4: MICHAEL VICKS OF NFL’s CASE ON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE. The smoking gun: Archive. Woman claims star NFL quarterback passed along herpes in 2003. thesmokinggun.com/archive/0405051vick1.html.It was D ecember when the plaintiff, Sona Elliot filed a case against NFL’s [a football team] Quarterback player Michael Vick. Allegedly, the plaintiff accuses Vick of using an alias when he first made himself known to Elliot. Moreover, he has also been noted for having been allegedly passing a Sexually transmitted disease to the plaintiff, thus causing her to suffer the consequences of having been able to commit sexual intercourse with Vick. The plaintiff, being young and just starting to recognize the happiness living is now robbed of from even being able to have a peaceful relationship with a man in marriage or even bearing a child. Psychologically, these situations are indeed hard to deal with on the part of the plaintiff.CounselDuring the years 200-2001, the plaintiff and the defendant had a close relationship, whereas they dated regularly, they see each other continuously and are thus able to discuss numerous personal details as part of their friendship. However, non of those oc casions was that of them both having a sexual affair between each other until came the year 2001. Most likely, the confession of the fact that the defendant has an STD, should have been done earlier during the establishment of the relationship. This is basing from the given fact that the defendant was aware of his health situation.Key PeopleThe people primarily involved in the case are only the plaintiff [Sonya Elliot] and that of the defendant Michael Vick. They are the key individuals who have the sole right to defend their statements and testimonies about the situations that they have been both involved with so as to be able to clear names as well as to fix the situations between them, especially that of the plaintiff’s life as a young woman.Facts in the CaseIt has been certain through the presentation of the court that the plaintiff admitted having been involved in a serious relationship with the defendant during the years 2000-2001. However, during those years, she knew Michael Vick as that of Ron Mexico and not as his real name Michael Vick. Moreover, during those times of intimacy, Elliot understood that if there are any secrets, those things should have already been suspended between the two during those specific times when they were together. However, as obvious as it is, Vick failed to inform Elliot of the facts regarding his health situation and the STD that he has. On many occasions when they already started to have sexual intercourse, there were at most times when they both observed â€Å"safe sex† whereas the defendant used a condom upon the plaintiff’s request. However, during the afternoon of April 13. 2003, the defendant refused to use condom even though the plaintiff strongly requested for him to do so. After that particular intercourse, the plaintiff did not have any intercourse with any other man anymore, thus when she has been diagnosed of having been infected of Herpes after feeling pain and irritability in her vagina , she was non the less sure that it was Vick who transmitted the disease to her. Upon tests and examinations, it has been proven to that Vick is a carrier of the STD virus.Federal IndictmentsThe venue of the court is noted to be rightful enough for hearing the case as the case happened in the same county thus allowing the prosecutors to have much competence of handling the said case being preceded.PleasThe plaintiff asks that the defendant be punished with his undoubtedly unguarded act that placed the life of the plaintiff in huge jeopardy. The bills for her healthcare had been much escalating and made it harder for her to survive city life. It has been moved then that the funding of those healthcare treatments in an aim of lessening the effects of herpes on the plaintiff be carried under the responsibility of the defendant.OpinionThere is nothing safer in safe sex than actually abstaining from it. Being unable to understand the real personality of a certain individual has naturally lead the plaintiff to falling short of notice of the fact and the possibilities that the defendant might do her with regards honesty and trust. In this case, obviously, one year or so of intimate relationship has been proven, not enough, for a person to know the reality behind a certain individual. Also, for those who are duly infected with STDs, it is their utmost responsibility to allow the people near them or are close to them in relationship with the fact that they are dealing with in their health situations. Most likely, it is in their hands on how the people they love could be well protected from what they are actually suffering from.Article 5: Vicks marketing deals fade into sunset: One of top NFL endorsers could disappear, like a magic act. TIM TUCKERThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Published on: 07/19/07. ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/07/18/vickbrand_0719.html.Endorsing is one of the major sources of profit in NFL industries. With Vick’s market ing charisma lost, the NFL industry is at least lost on several percentage of profit compared to other sport industries such as that of the basketball industries. From this article, the focus on the different aspects of seriousness of Vick’s case upon himself, his colleagues and the industry that he serves is presented well and with clarity.Obviously, the author wants to clearly point out how a wrong decision of one particular man could affect the entire group that he is with entirely. Most often than not, the impact is rather serious and strong. The constant importance given on the direct effect of the consequences that is made by an individual’s decision upon the values of others is featured strongly within this article.Article 6: The Involvement of Cheating in Sports: A Definition of what cheating is and how it directly affects the entire society today as it is related to sportsA recent symposium in the U.S. on ‘Sport and Ethics’ centered on the growing problem of cheating. Cheating, delegates agreed, is due to competitive pressures. Professor J. Keating of George Williams College in Chicago said: â€Å"Most of the moral problems posed by athletics can be traced to one single source- its highly competitive nature.† He added: â€Å"Deceit, lying, and hypocrisy all too often do follow in the wake of an intense competitive spirit.† According to W. Sadler of New Jersey’s Bloomfield College, adverse results of competition do not end on the playing field. He observed: â€Å"Competition is corrupting our nation. They say sports prepare us for life. I say, ‘What kind of life? The highly competitive and ruthless kind?’† Yes, indeed, cheating has long been an issue within the world of sporting competitions. This has long been given attention by the officials who were further appointed to deal with them. However, it could be noticed that no matter how the situation is aimed for control, the problem co ntinues to increase in the field of sporting events around the world.Excitement over sports is a worldwide phenomenon. For example, recent news reports spoke of growing sports enthusiasm in China. The New York Times (Nov.  18, 1981) reported: â€Å"Tens of thousands of Chinese converged on that [Peking’s] vast downtown area last night for boisterous celebrations .  .  . The euphoria was over the Chinese women’s volleyball team, which defeated the United States .  .  . and Japan .  .  . to win its first world title.† Even the normally placid Chinese got excited about sports. Volleyball became front-page news in the Peking press. Another outstanding case of sports-generated excitement is the 1982 World Cup soccer finals to be played between 24 qualifying nations in Spain during the dates of June  13 to July  11, 1982. Over the last two years more than a hundred countries have competed for the privilege of being among the last 24 qualifying teams. Hundreds of millions of supporters worldwide follow these soccer games with avid interest. In Lagos, Nigeria, a large crowd packed the stadium eight hours before the kickoff between Nigeria and Algeria. Likewise huge crowds celebrated China’s soccer success in qualifying for the World Cup finals.One underlying factor in modern life is the humdrum existence that millions are forced to lead in our computer-controlled society. As a consequence many want to break out of the treadmill routine by entering the exciting world of sports fantasy. For the minority, fulfillment comes as a participant. For the majority, it comes as a spectator. But they all want excitement, and that results from uncertainty. In sports uncertainty is the key- who will win? Thus the crowds flock to sports events or stay glued to the TV.Money has become an overriding concern in sports. Greed rather than sportsmanship and fair play seem now to dominate sports. â€Å"The innocence of sports, sorry to report, completely vanished during the 1980s,† laments The Denver Post columnist Jay Mariotti. â€Å"They swagger into the ’90s as a monster force in our culture, an incredibly mammoth, multi-trillion-zillion-dollar industry (actually, $63.1 billion [thousand million], 22nd-largest in America) that sometimes is better described as a racket.† Last year 162 major league baseball players in the United States- more than 1 in 5 of them- made over one million dollars, with something over three million dollars being the peak salary. Now, a year later, over 120 players will be paid more than two million dollars, including 32 who will collect more than three million dollars, and at least one will be getting over five million dollars, from 1992 all the way through 1995! The quest for money and huge salaries has become common in other sports as well. Even in college sports, the emphasis is often on money. Winning coaches are handsomely rewarded, making as much as one million dolla rs a year in salary and endorsement fees. The schools whose football teams qualify for the year-end bowl games in the United States receive many millions of dollars- 55  million in a recent year. â€Å"Football and basketball have to make money,† explains college president John Slaughter, â€Å"and they have to win to make money.† This results in a vicious cycle where winning becomes an obsession- with disastrous consequences.Since the jobs of professional ballplayers depend on winning, they often do practically anything to win. â€Å"It’s no longer a sport,† says former baseball star Rusty Staub. â€Å"It’s a vicious, physical business.† Cheating is pervasive. â€Å"If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying,† explains baseball outfielder Chili Davis. â€Å"You do what you can if you can get away with it,† New York Mets’ infielder Howard Johnson says. Thus moral fiber is undermined, and this is a big proble m in college sports as well. â€Å"Some coaches and athletic directors cheat,† admits Harold L.  Enarson, former president of Ohio State University, â€Å"while presidents and trustees look the other way.† In a recent year, 21 universities in the United States were penalized  by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for infractions, and 28 other universities were under investigation.No wonder the values of young players are ruined, which is another major problem with sports today. Drug use to enhance athletic performance is common, but getting an education often is not. A major study confirms that players on campuses with major athletic programs spend more time on playing their sport during the season than they do studying and attending class. A federal study also found that fewer than 1 in 5 players ever graduate at a third of American colleges and universities with major basketball programs for men. Even the few student athletes who eventually succeed in p rofessional sports and draw good salaries all too often become tragic figures. They are unable to handle their  finances  and to face life realistically. Travis Williams who died this past February in homeless poverty at age 45 is but one example. In 1967, while playing with the Green Bay Packers  football  team, he set a still-standing U.S. professional football  record,  returning kickoffs an average of 41.1 yards [37.6  m]. He once noted that while in college â€Å"he never had to go to class. Just show up for practices and games.†Cheating in sports is usually co-includes the issues of drug addiction among athletes. STEROIDS! The very word cast a long scandalous shadow over the 1988 Olympic Games held in Seoul, Republic of Korea. A number of hope-filled athletes were suspended by the International Olympic Committee for the alleged use of the drug. The world’s fastest sprinter in the 100-meter final basked in the glory of his gold medal- but not for lon g. Tests taken after the race revealed steroid use. He lost his medal, and his world record. This, however, should not have taken the sports world by surprise. In the 1988 Winter Olympics at Calgary, Canada, an athlete was banned from the games after testing positive for steroid use. It is reported that at the prestigious World Class track-and-field meet in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1987, half of the 28 athletes scheduled to participate in the â€Å"power† events- shot put, hammer, javelin, and discus- did not show up after learning of steroid tests. At Caracas, Venezuela, in 1983, 15 athletes were barred from the Pan-American games for steroid use. The 1984 Olympics was not without its steroid shame as winners were stripped of medals. Almost every sport has a steroid scandal of its own- track and field, bodybuilding, weight lifting, and football, to name a few. More than 20 college football players from a number of U.S. universities were barred from playing in the postseason b owl games because of steroid use. In the world of professional football, one famed 14-year NFL veteran was quoted as saying: â€Å"On some teams, between 75 and 90  percent of all athletes use steroids.† Reported the magazine Psychology Today: â€Å"Many of those .  .  . interviewed put steroid use among competitive body-builders at 100 percent.† Dr.  William N.  Taylor, a member of the U.S. Olympic Drug Control Program, warned that the use of these drugs has reached â€Å"epidemic proportions.† How far-reaching is this epidemic? Taylor noted that in addition to athletes, accountants and professors as well as unskilled workers and police officers abuse steroids. â€Å"It’s not a sports problem anymore,† he said, â€Å"it’s a social problem. And these users are playing with dynamite.† Anabolic steroids are powerful synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone. Over the years steroids have been used clinically, and unde r careful supervision, as an aid in bringing on puberty that is delayed, in building up muscles withered by disease or surgery, and for the protection of blood cells during radiation or chemotherapy. For these and other physiological problems apparent to doctors, steroids have been a potent tool in the hands of the medical profession.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Olympics, the sports arena and everywhere else where the sports competitions are held have long been subjected to investigations of cheating. This growing dilemma of fraud among the sporting industries of the world today naturally affects the reputation that sporting events actually post among the audience that they target to influence for profitable causes.   To help retain the fine reputation of the sports industry, it is essential that the issue of cheating within the said field of recreation in the society needs to be swept clean. The authorities who are needed in the process are certainly aimed to fix the issue through efficient proc edures of investigation to be applied on the issues of sport cheating and sport profit growth.Article 7: High School Sport and the Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances. Dodge, Tonya L ; Jaccard, James L (2006). The Effect of High School Sports Participation on the Use of Performance-Enhancing Substance in Young Adulthood. Journal of Adolescent Health 39. Pages 367-373. dopingjouren.se/pdf-filer/sdarticle.pdf.High School sports are determined to have beneficial influences to the sociological, physical and moral development of the young adults actively participating in life. Since, puberty or the High School stage of young adults are very much important and that it urges the physiological and physical aspect of the said individuals to become active and energetic, they need a beneficial aspect where to channel their aggressiveness and their new found dynamic vigor such as sports activities. In addition, the said activity has been determined to significantly boost the personal morale and social skills of their participating individuals. Thus, sports activities are indeed beneficial to the development f young adults during their High School stage.However, an alarming social and cultural dilemma is rising in the society at the present concerning the role of sports in the lives of its young adult participants. The concept of sport participation as the main reason for inducing the use of performance-enhancing substances or drugs to actively participating young adults is becoming a widely accepted notion in the society. Thus, to answer and significantly determine the relationship between the concept of sport participation and performance-enhancing drugs, a scientific study has been conducted to establish a general conclusion for the said argument.To mainly determining a plausible correlation between the two concepts, the scientific study explored and evaluated the main ideas surrounding the two general social notions. In social and cultural aspect, the subject of sp ort participation is generally embedded with the traits and values of competition thus pushing the need for physical enhancements to cope up with the challenge. In this aspect, young adults who are actively participating on the said activities are seeking other alternative with less physical and time demands to avoid compromising their other aspects such as the social activities and educational pursuit. Due to which, sport participants  Ã‚   started to incorporate performance-enhancing substances and drugs such as anabolic steroids and others to enhance their physical output thus coping with the competitive nature of sport.In this aspect, the scientific study has implemented a sample survey to determine the scientific correlation between sport participation and the use of performance-enhancing substances with the young adults. Thus, it has been determined with the results they have gathered that usage of performance-enhancing substances in young adults are indeed relatively high f or individuals who are actively participants of sports activities in their educational or social institutions. Another factor to be regarded in this subject is that social and cultural influences also affect the said correlation that the percentage of performance-enhancing substance in young adults are relatively higher in males compare to female. This idea is mainly because male activities are indeed more vigorous compare than that of the females. Thus, the usage of the said substances is determined by the demand incited by the activity itself and its social and cultural nature.Thus, the usage of performance-enhancing substance in relation to sport participation is indeed significantly substantial. Because of which, society especially the involved adults who have the responsibilities of monitoring these young adults should be well aware of the significance and substantial effects of this concept. They must closely discuss whether this action should be generally allowed or be forbid den as what its effects would be. It must always be prioritize that the main agenda of sport is to enhance the development of young adults in all aspects and not undermine their health and physical attributes by promoting usage of artificial substances to augment the active participation in this activity.Article 8: Lakers Versus Heats. (March 2007). http://nbasfinest.blogspot.com/2005/03/lakers-vs-heat-part-ii.html. (December 12, 2007).In the competitive world of the National Basketball Association (NBA), different teams representing their respective cities and states compete against each other to prove their dominance in the field of professional basketball. These teams are divided into two general categories namely the eastern conference and the western conference and within these groups are three subcategories representing the particular location of each team’s represented states or city. In each season of hard-brawling basketball competition rise one champion above all. T his title is viewed and considered by both the league’s players, staff and the spectating fans to be the supreme title, which is becoming the best among the best professional basketball teams in the league.In the present season of the NBA league, attentions are focused on the two teams that are leading their own respective division, The Los Angeles Lakers in the Pacific Western conference and the Miami Heat in the Southeast Eastern League. Each of these teams have proven worthy of their place as they compete against other teams on either their hometown or on the road winning against many and losing to some. These teams have developed their own techniques and strategies to become formidable basketball teams and both have incorporated potential and talented players in their lineup. However in critical consideration, if ever these two teams will compete against each other, who will prove to be better and more skillful than the other? Is it the mature and experienced lineup of th e Miami Heat or the young, fresh and energetic lineup of the Los Angeles Lakers?By considering each team’s player lineup and their match up against the other in terms of playing position, one can actually see a significantly discrepancy between the two. Consider first the centers of each team where the Miami heat already prove to be potentially better than the other through the action and experiences of Shaquille O’Neil and Alonzo Mourning against Kwane Brown and Bynum Andrew of the Lakers. For the power forward, the defense and offensive actions under the rim could be quite intense as Lamar Odom and Brian Cook of the Lakers takes on Udonis Haslem and Earl Barron of the Heat creating an intense competition. The same can be said in the shooting guard position as Maurice Evans and Kobe Bryant face off with Dwayne Wade, Jason Kapono and Eddie Jones of the Heat. The small forward position can be potentially dominated by the Heat as the improving performance of Dorrell Wrig ht, James Posey and Antoine Walker could be more than equal for Luke Walton and Vladimir Radmanovic of the Lakers. For the point guards, battle in this position can be significantly tipped to the Heat as Gary Payton and Jason Williams heads on with Smush Parker and Jordan Farmar in terms of experience and playing techniques. Thus, a critical comparison between the said two teams can potentially present the Miami Heat to be better than the Los Angeles Lakers winning them the rivalry between the two. Indeed, experience and playing techniques are significant elements to the competitive world of professional basketball aiding the potential success of the whole team. By considering the advantageous experience and professional level of the lineup of Miami Heat, one can actually say that the winning lever in their game against the Los Angeles Lakers is slightly pulled to their side.

Biography of Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President

Biography of Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President Richard M. Nixon (January 9, 1913–April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. Prior to that, he was a U.S. senator from California and vice president under Dwight Eisenhower. As a result of his involvement in the Watergate scandal, a cover-up of illegal activities connected with his reelection committee, Nixon became the first and only U.S. president to resign from office. Fast Facts: Richard Nixon Known For: Nixon was the 37th president of the United States and the only president to resign from office.Also Known As: Richard Milhous Nixon, â€Å"Tricky Dick†Born:  January 9, 1913 in Yorba Linda, CaliforniaParents: Francis A. Nixon and Hannah Milhous NixonDied:  April 22, 1994 in New York, New YorkEducation: Whittier College, Duke University Law SchoolSpouse:  Thelma Catherine Pat Ryan (m. 1940–1993)Children: Tricia, JulieNotable Quote: â€Å"People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.† Early Life Richard Milhous Nixon was born on January 19, 1913, to Francis A. Nixon and Hannah Milhous Nixon in Yorba Linda, California. Nixon’s father was a rancher, but after his ranch failed he moved the family to Whittier, California, where he opened a service station and grocery store. Nixon grew up poor and was raised in a very conservative, Quaker household. Nixon had four brothers: Harold, Donald, Arthur, and Edward. Harold died of tuberculosis at age 23 and Arthur died at age 7 of tubercular encephalitis. Education Nixon was an exceptional student and graduated second in his class at Whittier College, where he won a scholarship to attend Duke University Law School in North Carolina. After graduating from Duke in 1937, Nixon was unable to find work on the East Coast and decided to move back to Whittier, where he worked as a small-town lawyer. Nixon met his wife, Thelma Catherine Patricia â€Å"Pat† Ryan, when the two played opposite one another in a community theater production. He and Pat were married on June 21, 1940, and had two children: Tricia (born in 1946) and Julie (born in 1948). World War II On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, ushering the United States into World War II. Shortly afterward, Nixon moved from Whittier to Washington D.C., where he took a job at the Office of Price Administration (OPA). As a Quaker, Nixon was eligible to apply for an exemption from military service. He was bored with his role at the OPA, however, so he applied to the Navy and joined in August 1942 at the age of 29. Nixon was stationed as a naval control officer in the South Pacific Combat Air Transport. While Nixon did not serve in a combat role during the war, he was awarded two service stars and a citation of commendation and was eventually promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander. Nixon resigned his commission in January 1946. Congressional Service In 1946, Nixon ran for a seat in the House of Representatives for the 12th Congressional District of California. To beat his opponent, five-term Democratic incumbent Jerry Voorhis, Nixon used a variety of smear tactics, insinuating that Voorhis had communist ties because he had once been endorsed by the labor organization CIO-PAC. Nixon won the election. Nixon’s tenure in the House of Representatives was notable for his anti-communist crusading. He served as a member of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which was responsible for investigating individuals and groups with suspected ties to communism. Nixon was also instrumental in the investigation and conviction for perjury of Alger Hiss, an alleged member of an underground communist organization. Nixon’s aggressive questioning of Hiss at the HUAC hearing was central to securing Hiss’ conviction and won Nixon national attention. Wikimedia Commons   Nixon ran for a seat in the Senate in 1950. Once again, he used smear tactics against his opponent, Helen Douglas. Nixon was so overt in his attempt to tie Douglas to communism that he even had some of his flyers printed on pink paper. In response to Nixons smear tactics and his attempt to get Democrats to cross party lines and vote for him, a Democratic committee ran a full-page ad in several papers with a political cartoon of Nixon shoveling hay labeled â€Å"Campaign Trickery† into a donkey labeled Democrat. Under the cartoon was written, â€Å"Look at Tricky Dick Nixon’s Republican Record.† Despite the ad, Nixon went on to win the election- but the nickname Tricky Dick stuck with him. Run for Vice President When Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to run as the Republican Partys candidate for president in 1952, he needed a running mate. Nixon’s anti-communist position and strong base of support in California made him an ideal choice. During the campaign, Nixon was nearly removed from the ticket when he was accused of financial improprieties for allegedly using an $18,000 campaign contribution for personal expenses. In a televised address that became known as the â€Å"Checkers† speech delivered on September 23, 1952, Nixon defended his honesty and integrity. In a bit of levity, Nixon stated that there was one personal gift that he just wasnt going to return- a little Cocker Spaniel dog, whom his 6-year-old daughter had named Checkers. The speech was enough of a success to keep Nixon on the ticket. Vice Presidency After Eisenhower won the presidential election in November 1952, Nixon, now vice president, focused much of his attention on foreign affairs. In 1953, he visited several countries in the Far East. In 1957 he visited Africa, and in 1958 he visited Latin America. Nixon was also instrumental in helping push the Civil Rights Act of 1957 through Congress. In 1959, Nixon met with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow. In what became known as the â€Å"Kitchen Debate,† an impromptu argument erupted over the ability of each nation to provide good food and a good life to its citizens. The profanity-laced argument soon escalated as both leaders defended their countrys way of life. After Eisenhower suffered a heart attack in 1955 and a stroke in 1957, Nixon was called on to assume some of his high-level duties. At the time, there was no formal process for the transfer of power in the event of a presidential disability. Nixon and Eisenhower worked out an agreement that became the basis for the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified on February 10, 1967. The amendment detailed the procedure for presidential succession in the event of the presidents incapacitation or death. Failed Presidential Run of 1960 After Eisenhower completed his two terms in office, Nixon launched his own bid for the White House in 1960 and easily won the Republican nomination. His opponent on the Democratic side was Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy, who campaigned on the idea of bringing a new generation of leadership to the White House. The 1960 campaign was the first to make use of the new medium of television for advertisements, news, and policy debates. For the first time in American history, citizens were afforded the ability to follow the presidential campaign in real time. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images For the first debate, Nixon chose to wear little makeup, wore a badly selected gray suit, and came across looking old and tired compared to the younger and more photogenic Kennedy. The race remained tight, but Nixon eventually lost the election to Kennedy by 120,000 votes. Nixon spent the years between 1960 and 1968 writing a bestselling book, Six Crises, which recounted his role in six political crises. He also ran unsuccessfully for governor of California against Democratic incumbent Pat Brown. 1968 Election In November 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the office of the presidency and easily won re-election in 1964. In 1967, as the 1968 election approached, Nixon announced his own candidacy and easily won the Republican nomination. Faced with mounting disapproval ratings, Johnson withdrew as a candidate during the campaign. The new Democratic front-runner became Robert F. Kennedy, the younger brother of John. Wikimedia Commons   On June 5, 1968, Robert Kennedy was shot and killed following his victory in the California primary. Rushing now to find a replacement, the Democratic Party nominated Johnson’s vice president, Hubert Humphrey, to run against Nixon. Alabama Governor George Wallace had also joined the race as an independent. In another close election, Nixon won the presidency by 500,000 popular votes. Presidency Major domestic accomplishments during Nixons presidency included Neil Armstrongs and Buzz Aldrins historic walk on the moon in 1969; the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970; and the passage of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1971, which granted 18-year-olds the right to vote. Nixons focus on foreign relations had him initially escalating the Vietnam War as he implemented a controversial bombing campaign against the neutral nation of Cambodia to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines. Later, however, Nixon was instrumental in withdrawing all combat units from Vietnam, and by 1973 he had ended mandatory military conscription. Fighting within Vietnam finally ceased when Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese in 1975. In 1972, with the help of his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, President Nixon and his wife Pat embarked on a week-long trip to China in order to establish diplomatic relations. Resentment between China and the U.S. had lingered following the Korean War, during which China had fought against U.S. forces. The visit marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the communist nation, which was then under the control of Chinese Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong. Nixons visit was an important step in improving relations between these two powerful nations. Watergate Scandal Nixon was reelected in 1972 in what is considered one of the largest landslide victories in U.S. history. Unfortunately, Nixon was willing to use any means necessary to ensure his re-election. On June 17, 1972, five men were caught breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., to plant listening devices. Nixon’s campaign staff believed the devices would provide information that could be used against Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern. While the Nixon administration initially denied involvement in the break-in, two young newspaper reporters for the Washington Post, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, obtained information from a source known as â€Å"Deep Throat,† who became instrumental in tying the administration to the break-in. Nixon remained defiant throughout the Watergate scandal, and in a televised statement on November 17, 1973, he infamously stated, â€Å"People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.† During the investigation that followed, it was revealed that Nixon had installed a secret tape-recording system in the White House. A legal battle ensued, with Nixon reluctantly agreeing to the release of 1,200 pages of transcripts from what became known as the â€Å"Watergate Tapes.† Mysteriously, there was an 18-minute gap on one of the tapes, which a secretary claimed she had accidentally erased. Impeachment Proceedings and Resignation With the release of the tapes, the House Judiciary Committee opened impeachment proceedings against Nixon. On July 27, 1974, with a vote of 27-11, the Committee voted in favor of bringing articles of impeachment against Nixon. On August 8, 1974, having lost the support of the Republican Party and facing impeachment, Nixon delivered his resignation speech from the Oval Office. At noon the next day, Nixon became the first president in United States history to resign from office. Nixon’s vice president Gerald R. Ford assumed the office of president. On September 8, 1974, Ford granted Nixon a â€Å"full, free and absolute pardon,† ending any chance of an indictment against Nixon. Death After his resignation from office, Nixon retired to San Clemente, California. He wrote both his memoirs and several books on international affairs. With the success of his books, he became somewhat of an authority on American foreign relations, improving his public reputation. Toward the end of his life, Nixon actively campaigned for American support and financial aid for Russia and other former Soviet republics. On April 18, 1994, Nixon suffered a stroke and died four days later at the age of 81. Legacy In his time, Nixon was known for his uneasy public persona and intense secrecy. He is now best remembered for his involvement in the Watergate scandal and his resignation from office, a presidential first. He has been depicted in a variety of dramatic films and documentaries, including Frost/Nixon, Secret Honor, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, and Our Nixon. Sources Ambrose, Stephen E.  Nixon. Simon and Schuster, 1987.Gellman, Irwin F.  The Contender, Richard Nixon: the Congress Years, 1946-1952. Free Press, 1999.