My Hero-Muhammad Ali David Ramsey 10A Essay Example for Free

My Hero-Muhammad Ali David Ramsey 10A Essay My hero is Muhammad Ali who first came into the public eye as Cassius Clay when he won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960. In 1964 he stunned the boxing community with his defeat of Sonny Liston, the heavyweight champion, and shocked the world yet again when he changed his name to Muhammad Ali after the fight. During the Vietnam war he was ordered to go and fight but he refused on religious grounds, but his decision was not met with ease, he was branded a draft-dodger and threatened with prison. He was stripped of his title and was effectively banned from boxing. Despite this, he never gave in to the American Government and stuck to his principles and during the years of exile from boxing he spent time studying his religion and public speaking. It was evident that he was sincere in his beliefs and he started to reclaim the respect of the American public, especially as the horrors of what was happening in Vietnam began to be shared more widely.When he was 28 and after 3 years band from the sport he loved, he was able to resume his boxing career. He eventually regained his title and went on to fight in some of the most breathtaking fights the world has ever seen. During his career, his influence on the world of boxing changed the sport forever. He took the world heavyweight championship away from its traditional New York City venue and took it to Canada, Britain, Germany, Zaire, Malaysia and Manila, as well as the United States. He used his position to speak out against inequality and always helped people who were less fortunate than himself. He is still an ambassador of his religion and continues to try to give people hope. After he came back from suspension, he started with a mission to reclaim his title, he was granted a title shot against Joe Frasier in 1971, he underestimated Joes ability however, and lost the fight, it would now be even harder to become champion again. The world said that he was too old and past his peak when he was beat again by Ken Norton in 1972. Joe Frasier was beaten by George Foreman so Ali knew that if he was once again to become the Greatest he would have to beat Ken Norton, which he did and then he made an amazing comeback against Joe Frasier in the rematch in 1974. Ali had earned his title shot, the stage was set for Zaire (the Rumble in the Jungle) Ali vs Foreman. Muhammad Ali was very old and although he had made amazing comebacks against Frasier and Norton, neither of these were the fighter that George Foreman was, even Alis own trainer asked Foreman to take it easy on Ali because he was an `old man`. But yet again Muhammad Ali proved the world wrong yet again by knocking out George Foreman out in 8 rounds to regain his title. He reigned as champion for 4 years until he was beaten by Leon Spinks, now Leon was thought to be the greatest and the world expected him to become the next Muhammad Ali, he repeatidly taunted Ali until the rematch when Ali taught him what it meant to be the greatest! He was the first man to win the title 3 times. His flamboyant style has made him a legend, and his slogans `I am the greatest` and `float like a butterfly, sting like a bee` became catch phrases. Alis lifestyle was plagued with divorces and failed relationships but stayed loyal to his religion and his fans. Ali was president Carters special envoy to Africa in 1980 (attempting to persuade nations to boycott the Olympics). Muhammad Ali has lots of personal qualities and values. He spoke for civil civil rights against discrimination of black people in America on numerous occasions and refused to go to Vietnam for 2 reasons: he remained loyal to Islam and he refused to murder innocent people. This shows dignity and independence because he wouldnt get drafted into the army when he didnt want to. I admire Alis determination and strengh of character in this act even when he was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and had his boxing license revoked he would not submit to the American Government. Ali has got to be the most entertaining sportsman ever, his humour, charisma and skill in the ring earned him the sportsperson of the century award. I admired his boxing skills when I first learnt about Muhammad Ali but as I progressed in learning about his life I was amazed to find out how much money he donated towards charity, he held many fundraisers for under priveliged children on the streets of America and Africa. Ali was very endurant because he has always been the only boxer to dance around the ring for a whole 15 rounds during a fight. He was always confident in his abilitys and always optimistic. Ali has great ambition, ever since he started boxing he said he would be the greatest and went in the right direction to do so because he is widely known as the greatest boxer ever. Ali has the courage to stand up and fight for what he believed in because he became a muslim whilst getting alot of criticism off muslims themselves, and changed his name to Muhammad Ali to suit his religion even when his own family disapproved of it. Now, Muhammad Ali is suffering from Parkinsons disease, which attacks the nervous system, there is no cure for this disease and Ali has suffered immensly as a result of it. Despite this he still finds the energy to fund the Black Muslim campaign and other charities. Muhammad Ali has certainly influenced my life for the better because he has taught me to never give up on my dreams. Muhammad Ali is a perfect example of that if you work hard enough and never give up you can achieve just about anything, just as he did. The world might never have known Muhammad Ali if his bike hadnt been stolen when he was 12. He set out an aim to be the greatest ever and worked extremely hard but never gave up, even when he was deemed too old to fight again, he beat George Foreman, against all odds, in Zaire. In conclusion, Muhammad Ali is my hero because he has proved the world wrong again by defeating other boxers against all odds (and still leave room for his witty humour). I will remember Muhammad Ali as someone who stood up for his beliefs always and was indeed the greatest.

What is Culture? Essay -- Sociology, Subcultures

Question One What is culture? Culture can be interpreted in multiple ways and have many different meanings to different individuals. Consequently, it is because of those facts that a definition is so hard to create. To some, culture results from consumed meanings by a social group (Lewis, 2008). Others view culture as something based on economics and servitude (Marx, as cited by Lewis, 2008). Hebdige ambiguous concept As I attempt to tease out a personal definition of culture based on my own experiences and various readings this semester, I select a few common themes that bare significance in my conceptualization of culture. Beliefs, values, social constructs, are some of the concepts used in many of the definitions of culture. These terms will serve as the basic principles on which I will base my own definition. To me, culture is an ideology, a relationship between social constructions and individuals. Culture results from created sets of beliefs, values, and goals from which individuals make meaning through interpretation and use to guide interactions amongst themselves and their environment. My definition of culture stems from two major concepts: ideologies and social constructions. Ideology itself is a very complex concept with multiple definitions. For clarity, I am referring to Althusser’s concept of ideology. Althusser (as cited by Lewis, 2008) believed ideology was a â€Å"representation of the imaginary relationship of individuals to their real conditions of existence†. This applies to my personal definition of culture because these imagined conditions are what make up the beliefs, values, and goals that cultures abide by. This imaginary relationship then transitions into another major part of my definition ... ...tudent affairs professionals, we always talk about the power of a single story. Each student is special and has their own experiences that they have that have affected their development. These experiences influence each student both interpersonally, as well as intrapersonally. One habit student affairs professionals have to take into consideration when studying student cultures is to never generalize a student and pay close attention to assumptions made when studying a student culture or subculture. Studying student cultures and subcultures from a macro level will help professionals understand the experiences of a large number of students. But as practitioners, we must be wary of over generalizing and bringing our own biases into our research. As clearly shown above, culture is a very complex topic. It means many different things to various people.

Information Technology Management Essay

Information and communication technologies play critical roles in sustaining an organizations growth and profitability (Galliers & Leidner, 2003). If managed properly, investments in information and communication technologies can improve efficiency and effectiveness of business processes and an organization’s competitive posture in the market. Proper management of information and communication technologies investments can also enrich people’s lives in the organization improving job satisfaction and productivity. Galliers & Leidner, 2003). Success in managing information and communication investments depend largely on exercising good management practices like human capital management, staff training management, information technology architecture management and software management (Galliers & Leidner, 2003). However, with all the potential benefits of investments in information and communication projects, they can be risky, costly and unproductive if not managed properly (Galliers & Leidner, 2003). Organizations should therefore strive to attract and retain information technology personnel that are qualified and talented to ensure the success of information and technology investments. This is further complicated by a tight information and technology labor market where qualified information and technology personnel enjoy high mobility. Discussion The position I am required to design is a leadership position intended to provide technical direction and guide an organization in implementing strategic information and communication projects (Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, 2010). The occupant of this position is expected to be able to handle a wide range of duties and responsibilities. He or she should be able to use his/ her exposure, technical experience and business knowledge in developing an organization’s technical plans and to advise senior management on information technology strategies, standards and governance (Galliers & Leidner, 2003). In addition he or she will be expected to monitor the industry’s trends in information technology and respond appropriately by formulating long term information technology strategies capable of improving an organization’s competitiveness. The senior information technology manager will work under the general supervision of the chief executive officer. In line with work plans and resource allocation coordination provided by the chief executive officer, he or she will be responsible for effective planning, supervision and delivery of assigned functions that fall within an information and communication department (Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, 2010) so as to ensure that an organization’s requirements for information systems and information technology are effectively and efficiently met. He will also be responsibility for ensuring that an organization’s computer systems have the capacity to meet the business needs of an organization by either upgrading existing systems or developing new systems (Info Tech Employment, 2008). Additional functions will include participation in planning, coordinating and setting policies for the development and implementation of an organization’s information technology strategies, supporting standards, procedures and practices, supervising and coordinating works of external firms in special projects or functions to ensure quality and timely delivery, providing consultant services in regards to procurement of new information technology equipments and computer systems, supervising members of staff assigned to special projects or functions and coordinating their training and development to ensure that they are up to the tasks and finally, developing and monitoring key performance indicators of assigned functions within an information technology department (Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, 2010). The senior information technology manager is expected to have an excellent working knowledge in information technology and a commitment to keep up to dat e with the latest development (Galliers & Leidner, 2003). He should demonstrate people’s management skills with an ability to motivate staff members, provide a cooperative and productive work environment, manage resources effectively to achieve objectives, organize and coordinate work in the department and explain technical issues clearly (Info Tech Employment, 2008). He or she will be tasked with leading changes that fall within the information technology department, hence must be able to integrate organizational and departmental goals, priorities and values. In addition, he or she should have experience in managing large scale projects in information systems and technology (Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, 2010). To fulfill these expectations, a university degree in computer science or related fields and appropriate professional certifications are mandatory. Moreover, the candidate of choice should have at least five years management experience in information technology. He should demonstrate experience with standard software applications and data manipulation, analysis and interpretation tools (Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, 2010). Conclusion Information technology investments can be very beneficial to an organization as a whole if they are managed properly. Organizations should therefore strive to hire and retain qualified, experienced and talented information technology managers. This is not easy given the current information technology labor market. The labor market is characterized by high mobility of qualified labor and organizations must put in place effective measures to ensure they hire the right people. One of the measures an organization should take is defining clear structures and responsibilities of all employees in the information technology department. The senior information technology manager will provide technical direction and guidance to the organization in implementing strategic information technology projects. He will be responsible for ensuring effective and efficient management of resources within the information technology department.

Steroids in Major League Baseball - 800 Words

Steroids in Major League Baseball Anabolic steroids have been abused by Major League Baseball players for years, it’s time to forever ban the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs before they ruin America’s past time. Why should athletes be able to cheat when teammates or rivals are competing with honest effort? Every year records are broken and new heights are achieved, the game of baseball is very simple yet very humble, and to deceive the game you love, forever will you be punished. Let me inform you with the origin in which PEDs were first used and where they came from, regulation, and a possible solution. Testosterone use goes back as far as 1889. Pud Galvin, a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys used a testosterone hormone†¦show more content†¦Between 1998 and 2009 ten players would join the 500 club. The game was making an uprising, but was it truthful? Obviously not much changed from before and after illegalization of steroid use. Of those ten pla yers between 98’ and 09’ six players were Performance-enhancing drug related. Baseball is not the game everyone remembers a century ago or even half a century, with honest players playing for the love of the game, not cutting corners and taking undeserved achievements. In 1990 Congress passed the Anabolic Steroids Control Act, but didn’t say how the offenders would be caught. â€Å"The next year MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent made it clear in a memo that this was very much relevant to baseball.†(Rymer) The memo read as follows: â€Å"The possession, sale or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance by Major League players and personnel is strictly prohibited. Major League players or personnel involved in the possession, sale or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance are subject to discipline by the Commissioner and risk permanent expulsion from the game†¦ This prohibition applies to all illegal drugs and controlled substances, inclu ding steroids or prescription drugs for which the individual in possession of the drug does not have a prescription.†(ESPN) Every player whoShow MoreRelatedSpeech On Steroids And Major League Baseball1638 Words   |  7 Pagesin Major League history. However, this record is controversial, due to steroid use. B. Thesis: Today I am going to persuade you all about the use of steroids in Major League Baseball, persuading you why steroids should not be allowed in Major League Baseball. I have a call to action for all of you to help others if they are considering using steroids, and next time you watch a MLB game to realize the impact of steroids. C. Credibility: Gave my informative speech on Steroids in Major League BaseballRead MoreThe Illegal Steroid Use in The Major League Baseball1355 Words   |  6 Pagestake a look and study the illegal steroid use in Major League Baseball, and possible ways it can be exempt from the game forever. Use of performance enhancing drugs is cheating and causes inequalities, in which new repercussions should be implemented. These new rules should include a zero tolerance level, records stripped and not being rewarded of their accomplishments; which is to include banishment from an admittance into the Hall of Fame. Furthermore, it causes major health concerns and could endRead MoreAnabolic Steroids in Major League Baseball Essay1824 Words   |  8 PagesMajor League Baseball’s (MLB) commissioners are debating about the anabolic steroids situation that is occurring in professional baseball today. To many professionals are getting accused of using the harmful drug. 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As the needle slowly penetrated through the skin and half way through his muscle, he unloadedRead More Steroid Use in Major League Baseball Essay1272 Words   |  6 PagesSteroid Use in Major League Baseball Why Major League Baseball players would use steroids is the biggest question that every person in the world wants to know. I think MLB players use steroids so they can bulk up and get stronger, which will allow them to last through the long, seven-month season. I think that because they play 162 games a year during these seven months that this causes a great deal of wear and tear on their bodies. Especially if a player gets hurt, they might try to takeRead MoreAnabolic Steroids are Ruining Major League Baseball Essay1220 Words   |  5 PagesMajor League Baseball (MLB) has widely been regarded as America’s pastime for the longest time, however it is now becoming known as the sport tainted by one thing, anabolic steroids. An anabolic steroid is related to the natural steroid, testosterone. They are able to stimulate growth in the muscle tissue. They usually increase muscle mass and strength. The MLB has created some of the most historic American icons, such as Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. Players like them showed us what it was like toRead More Steroid Use in Major League Baseball Essay example1596 Words   |  7 PagesSteroid Use in Major League Baseball Steroids are unhealthy for baseball players and they are giving the game of baseball a bad reputation. Since steroids have become such a hot topic in Major League Baseball (MLB) fans have had nothing but bad things to say about the sport and its players. When sports illustrated asked some of its readers to give reaction to the steroid controversy in the MLB here is what baseball fan Howard Langsner from New York had to say Horrible, just horrible. We takeRead More Performance Enhancing Steroids in Major League Baseball Essay901 Words   |  4 PagesPerformance Enhancing Steroids in Major League Baseball The issue that our group is tackling is the use of illegal performance enhancing steroids in Major League Baseball. Major League Baseball is big business in the U.S., with 30 franchises valued at over 8.8 billion dollars. Player salaries range from the league minimum salary of three hundred twenty five thousand per year to ten million or more per year, and are based on the market value of each player when his current contract expires.Read MoreSteroids : The Most Exciting Season Ever Since Major League Baseball918 Words   |  4 PagesThe most exciting season ever in major league baseball was 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa both chased after Babe Ruth’s record of sixty home runs in a single season. No one knew who would come out on top throughout the season, but in the end Mark ended up with 72 and Sammy with 66. Every baseball fan in America thought of these two guys as heroes, but the sad truth was that both of them had been cheating by using steroids. Steroids are a drug that will help increase your testosterone levelsRead MoreSteroids Abuse in Baseball1746 Words   |  7 PagesSteroid Abuse Hurts Baseball The abuse of steroids among players in Major League Baseball is corrupting the image of Americas Pastime as well as endangering the health of those who use the illegal substances. The lack of testing and punishment for the use of illegal substances like steroids in the Major Leagues portrays a negative image to aspiring young athletes. They see their role models using steroids and becoming better athletes rather than seeing suspensions for the illegal behavior or