Learning Goals in a Pluralistic Society Research Proposal

Learning Goals in a Pluralistic Society - Research Proposal Example All children are entitled to an experience that is variant because each child has a distinct need. The notion that all children can learn in no way embraces the theory that they learn in the same manner or at the same time or at the same level of achievement. Schools began as simple institutions often run by churches and teachers advanced through the leadership chain with out training. (Murphy 1998). Accordingly, as a principal, one must expect to see different outcomes within the same time frame. Against that backdrop, there is a dramatic change in the role of principals and their duties to their students. (Shipman 2007) Simply having knowledge of the educational system is not enough for a principal to be considered an effective leader. (Shipman 2007) This paper seeks to discuss the first standard of the ELCC standards, the knowledge of the principal. The principal has a deep understanding of diversity and its implications for education. Knowledge of the learning goals of a pluralistic requires that a principal assess the goals which are immediate and long term. Firstly, a principal must be able to have a working definition of what a pluralistic society actually is. Banks and Banks (2006) defined the obligations of a leader in a pluralistic society as those that envision: â€Å"Maintaining a democratic society and preserving and enlarging freedom require citizens who embrace democratic values and recognize their responsibilities to help narrow the gap between real and idealized American values† (Banks and Banks p.46). Naturally, a principal has the obligation to teach these values to his/her students. A leadership principal clearly values individuals who are diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, exceptionality, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or gender. In teaching the staff, the principal must also keep an open and professional relationship with the teachers of his/her school which is revolved

Philosophy of education timeline analysis Essay

Philosophy of education timeline analysis - Essay Example I will carry this theme further in my essay and will trace its origins and development. The later part of the essay will explore the role naturalism plays in the current educational world. The East and West have rich ethical traditions (Brannigan, 2005). Some like the Confucianism developed in a certain area- China in the case of Confucianism (Confucianism, 2010)- whereas others like naturalism were developed and promoted by philosophers all over the world. Naturalism is that branch of philosophy that adheres to the notion that everything can be explained scientifically. It can be portrayed as the ideology that everything constitutes a part of nature and there is no reality that is beyond the scope of nature (Goetz & Taliaferro, 2008). The philosophical paradigm denounces the supernatural, supporting the ideology that everything in nature can be accounted for by a scientific cause. The philosophy relies on empirical and evidence-based science to prove and ratify the natural phenomena around us. Naturalists believe that everything in the universe is governed through scientific principles and even the social and behavioral elements that constitute an individual’s thought process and rationality have a scientific basis. Naturalism does not have a priori approach to explain the natural world; rather it attempts to provide a scientific justification through knowledge that does not involve the special senses. It is also known as materialism and its basic definition encompasses the tenet that individuals are a completely natural phenomena. In the past centuries, scientific discoveries have replaced many of the myths and superstitions by concrete scientific explanations. The rate at which science has progressed is exponential; as a result, the theory of naturalism has received more factual data to support it. Naturalism has developed overtime by such advances in technology and by the works of many

Starbucks Coffee Company Essay Example for Free

Starbucks Coffee Company Essay It’s an American global coffee company and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world ahead of UK rival Costa Coffee, with 23,305 stores in 65 countries and territories, including 13,049 in the United States, 1,909 in China, 1,555 in Canada, 1,089 in Japan and 927 in the United Kingdom. Starbucks locations serve hot and cold beverages, whole-bean coffee. Most stores also sell pre-packaged food items, hot and cold sandwiches, and items such as mugs and tumblers. Starbucks. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also markets books, music, and film. Many of the companys products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks-brand ice cream and coffee are also offered at grocery stores. Starbucks had been profitable as a local company in Seattle. By the time it expanded into California in 1991 it had become trendy. The first store outside the United States or Canada opened in Tokyo in 1996, and overseas stores now constitute almost one third of Starbucks stores. The company planned to open a net of 900 new stores outside of the United States in 2009, but has announced 300 store closures in the United States since 2008. How the organization is organized Starbucks Organizational Chart Identify the activities of the functional areas Functional areas: Each organization is radically different ways by the structures, rules, positions and recognized chains of dynamic structures in which the communications staff of the organization is divided into fixed and is expected instead to keep width according to requirement. The basic methods of the organization are the people on the basis of the methods  according to geographical areas of the product Human resources: In Human Resources, they’re all about their partners. They have more than 500 partners working in groups such as Staffing, Learning and Development, Total Pay (Comp and Benefits), Organizational Development and Human Services. Each of us is a strategic partner to the business – no matter if we’re in a generalist or more specialist role. Together, we build programs that help our partners around the globe become their personal best. Finance: In Finance, theyll have the opportunity to work with their retail operations, consumer products and i nternational businesses. Their team is a key part of continued growth and profitability. There are more than 500 professionals working in fields such as accounting, business unit finance, corporate development, finance services, internal audit, investor relations, tax and customs, treasury and risk management, and safety and security. Marketing: Starbucks has a team of over 200 developing the strategy for all customer touch points in a Starbucks store and in the digital space. This includes campaigns for their products (like a favorite, the Pumpkin Spice Latte) or digital marketing campaigns like social media, promotions, as well as programs like Starbucks Card, CRM, ecommerce and mobile (Digital Ventures). Whether it’s on a mobile device or in one of their stores, they strive to deliver genuine moments of connection with their customers while driving transactions. One innovative thing they’ve done recently is partner with Square to launch mobile payments in their retail stores. Costumer Service: The Customer Service team receives and shares feedback that helps the company stand apart and grow. They listen to their customers and respond in kind. They analyze information and provide insights so that they continue to create inspired moments around the world every day. Sales: The Starbucks Sales team wo rks with retailers all over the world to launch their products in places like grocery stores, airlines and school campuses. They even serve Starbucks Coffee at The White House, Pentagon and on Air Force One. Production: This group of people as a team for the products they produce. As each company has different departments and groups are divided by service. Describe the relations between them The relations between these functional areas you can see as a kind of tracking system. Because every department is helping the other one work, The Human Recourses arranges everything inside the company and the opposite of that one is the department Marketing, they are looking for information outside the company. Eventually the marketing department can help the customer service to improve their service and the Human Recourses can help the Sales department and Production work better. Al last the Finance keeps everything around the company in control if it’s about the outcomes or revenue or the labor costs of the employers. P4 Explain how their style of organization makes it possible for them to fulfil their purposes. The Starbucks Mission Statement: Today, Starbucks Coffee Company has published two mission statements, one for the company and one that defines their commitment to the environment: â€Å"To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time† – Starbucks Coffee â€Å"Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business.† – Starbucks Environmental Mission Statement How the Organization Starbucks works Toward Its Mission Starbucks works on a certain way to make their purposes work. This way requires a lot of planning and work. Below I mentioned how the organization is working to fulfil their purposes: Our Coffee – High quality has always been the passion of Starbucks coffee, and hard work has been done to maintain and improve that. Our Partners – Everyone who works for Starbucks are partners because they all share a passion to create a place where everyone is treated to a standard that includes respect and dignity. Our Customers – Although Starbucks holds customer satisfaction through quality-made beverages as important, they also focus on the significance of human connection. Our Stores – The Starbucks mission statement also focuses on making their stores a â€Å"haven† for people to go to whenever necessary. Our Neighborhood – Starbucks considers their  stores as part of the community it is in, and are very passionate about doing their part and being responsible about it. Our Shareholders – Starbucks believes that actions towards success rewards everyone involved in the company. Therefore, Starbucks is fully accountable to uphol d its principles to the benefit of everyone connected with Starbucks. Onward – The Starbucks Mission Statement page leaves this without an explanation – but for good reason. The future may be unknown, but Starbucks regards it as important, and all decisions and actions have to contribute to making a better future for Starbucks and all its partners. Starbucks history has shown that having values, and practicing those values, will lead to success. ( All this information according to the Starbucks site itself) Describe how two businesses are organize. Identify the activities of the functional areas , and describe the relations between them. The next organization I chose is Greenpeace About Greenpeace: Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organization that wants to change attitudes and behavior and they want to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by: (According to http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/about/) Accelerating an energy revolution to refer the number one threat facing our planet: climate change. Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global network of marine reserves. Protecting the worlds ancient forests and the animals, plants and people that depend on them. Working for disarmament and peace by tackling the causes of conflict and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. Creating a toxic free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in todays products and manufacturing. Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by rejecting genetically engineered organisms, protecting biodiversity and encouraging socially responsible farming. Greenpeace is in 40 countries across Eu rope, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Greenpeace doesn’t want donations from governments or corporations but they get their money from contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants. How the organization is organized Identify the activities of the functional areas ( all this information according to the Greenpeace site itself) Human Recourses: The mission of the Human Resources (HR) department is to support Greenpeace’s strategic vision and goals by recruiting and retaining diverse, passionate and exceptional team members; providing proactive services that foster a friendly and collaborative work experience; administering policies and benefits that protect both staff and the organization; and promoting a strategic and interactive staff development program to aid staff in reaching their full potential. The Human Resources intern will assist the HR department in reaching its goals through a combination of administrative support, research and project work. Marketing: The Direct Marketing team is an integral part of Greenpeaces Development Department, and is responsible for the management of fundraising for monthly and one-time donors at the $1-$499.99 level. The Direct Marketing team works with several out-of-house vendors to coordinate the mailing and telemarketing cultivation and solicitation of these donors. The team is also responsible for acquiring new donors, and for testing new methods of acquisition. Finance: Finance, Greenpeaces finance program, instrumentally increases the financial and political work of Greenpeace by raise new members on the street. Members of the finance department give monthly donations which support Greenpeace, online actions, phone banking, events and more. The Finance team provides administrative support to the Frontline program by tracking performanc e, liaising with other departments of Greenpeace, organizing, checking and submitting Finance payroll. The Finance intern will work closely with the Frontline Operations Team, the National Canvass Director, the Frontline Project Director, and the Frontline Training and Recruitment Coordinator and will report to a member of the Frontline Operations Team. Describe the relations between them. Because Greenpeace is a non-profit organization they don’t really focus on having a lot customers and revenue. So they have a kind of basic system for their organization. The relations between the functional is thereby very close to each other. Namely The Human Resources takes care of the distribution into the company, That makes it possible that the people can do exactly there work what’s needed by the company. For example the marketing employers are so divided that they can do their work what is asked from the company. P4 Explain how their style of organization makes it possible for them to fulfil their purposes. Greenpeace purposes: Greenpeace has a couple purposes that they want to reach: Halt climate change. Greenpeace, like most environmental organizations, places fighting global warming at the top of its list Protect oceans. Greenpeace is perhaps best known for its campaigns to protect whales and other large aquatic animals from hunters and trappers Save ancient forests. Logging and clear-cutting of ancient forests drive species of plants and animals toward extinction and threaten the lives of people whose survival depends on the forests resources Achieve disarmament and peace. The world maintains an armory of 30,000 nuclear weapons, and several countries actively pursue the technology to develop even more. Reduce toxic materials in products. Many electronics and other products contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals that are difficult to dispose of and impossible to recycle. Encourage sustainable agriculture. Greenpeace believes genetically modified crops decrease biodiversity and pose a threat to the food supply. This purposes can only be reached if the organization works together with each other, so Greenpeace has clearly purposes so it’s easy for them to work towards something. Because the Greenpeace doesn’t accepts money from the government it’s important for them that they make the Marketing work good, because they have to inspire and motivate people to donate money and support the organization. Greenpeace is already doing a good job at that because they’ve reached a lot of their purposes already. Next up is the Finance department: They make sure that the company spends their money at the right  place so that they can full their purposes. It’s not only for their purposes but also for the employers who have to get paid eventually. Only on that way the can make the company work. Al last the most important part I think is the Human Resources the make sure that the Finance, Marketing, Production, Service departments are doing their job. And helps them furt her.

Eudora Weltys A Worn Path Essay -- Eudora Welty Worn Path Essays

Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" Throughout time, people have traveled the trodden course of life, overcoming obstacles along the way and grasping onto hope to strengthen their steps. In her short story â€Å"A Worn Path†, Eudora Welty communicates this timeless theme through the protagonist, Phoenix, who has traveled this path many times. Through her usage of dialogue and symbolism, Welty illustrates the lasting concept that people conquer hardships in life and ultimately prevail. Welty utilizes dialogue to portray how others belittle Phoenix and attempt to destroy her dignity in vain. Along her journey, Phoenix meets several people with look down on her for her old age. First, the Satan figure, the hunter calls her â€Å"Granny† and encourages her to return home. He also mocks her race when he claims he â€Å"know[s] you old colored people.† However, Phoenix is not discouraged by the hunter as evident in her fearlessness when the hunter carelessly points his gun at her. This is also obvious when she refuses to return home in the face of the hunter’s persuasion. Welty uses the hunte...

Explication on “Living in Sin” by Adrienne Rich Essay

The poem tells the story of the lovers that starts just after the fairytale of their lives has ended. Actually, it reveals the continuation of relationship where fairytale usually cuts the story at the kisses and declaration of love followed by â€Å"The End† (a story of a Princess which has to wash dishes on a day after a romantic ball). It is important to point out that the speaker is not actually the woman spoken of in the poem. The narrator here depicts the events in this couple’s daily life. Yet, it is obviously a woman, due to the tone of the poem: how she sees the careless husband and notices household disorder. Being in variance with many modern text analysts, I must say that the poem ‘Living in Sin’ is completely autobiographic. It has been written by Adrienne Rich during the first months of her own marriage and conveys her own disappointment in what is left after the romantic prelude.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To understand the poem one must notice that it is wholly built on the contrasts the author uses from sentence to sentence. The most evident contrast resides in the mood of the heroes: the indifferent, careless husband (‘he, with a yawn†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢) who seems not to notice the miserable surroundings and only shrugs his shoulders at the mirror admitting the piano out of tune, and the pensive and sad wife who is distressed   with the routine circle of everyday cleaning and watching the back of her lover leaving each morning for the trivial   cigarettes: â€Å" [he] rubbed at his beard, went out for cigarettes; while she, jeered by the minor demons, pulled back the sheets and made the bed and found a towel to dust the table-top†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . Adrienne Rich has been influenced by the popular image contrast of artist and his woman (generally, a family). Their married life goes in the studio, a huge room without walls or borders, without anything to confirm one’s privacy. Here we obviously see a family of artists where the woman has to play the subordinate role imposed by the society. As means to manipulate women into submitting to housekeeping roles, society promotes a male-dominant view. Most traditional societies expect all women to feign fulfillment in this biological role of a domestic apparatus. Therefore, like the woman in the poem, many women in society accept (although, quite reluctantly) this role of a home caretaker.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The images of dusted furniture, dried cheese and empty bottles, overboiled pot etc. produce low, pessimistic tones of the poem – all these trifle seems to be powerful enough to spoil woman’s life and even to kill love: â€Å"By evening she was back in love again, though not so wholly but throughout the night she woke sometimes to feel the daylight coming like a relentless milkman up the stairs†. Here appears another pair of contrasting images: Day and Night that are parallel to Reality and Dream. This woman actually lives double life, enjoying night demonstrations of love and being not able to change the obtrusive tedium of the day which comes like the â€Å"relentless milkman† upon the creaking stair and ruins the fragile dreams of the romantic supper. The piano (summoned by him) seems to be out of tune just like their love. The grime at their window panes is as hard to remove as to bring back the brightness and romantics to the life. Comparatively, each of the household items is dingy. Everything illuminated by the day is out of this light in a paradoxical way – on the contrary, it strives for the night unconsciousness and inempiricalness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So, now it is possible to explain the name of the poem. â€Å"Living in Sin† means to face the day and not to do anything about it, just to see the things go on and to be afraid to make any changes. The woman submits to this role of absolute responsibility without resistance, keeping her resentment and anger to herself. Her constant expenditure of energy with no satisfactory results leads to disappointment. The heroine of the poem is completely unsatisfied but what with she is not quite sure†¦ We, as a reader, can only guess what exactly bothers her: a bunch of disappointing details or the whole picture of their relationship. I think that the last thing does. Everyday dusting, which she has to take around the studio, symolizes the ‘dusting’ of the relationship that is also needed to keep the love alive. Undoubtedly, family life needs refreshment not to be sepulchered by the lay of ‘dust’ and similar days. The woman’s futile efforts result in her â€Å"living in sin†. She sinfully accepts what society dictates and does not try to escape and improve her circumstances. By lettig this miserable life to continue, she denies herself and her individuality. And such self-sacrifice is the biggest sin for an artistic and thoughtful woman.

The Significance of the Title to the Novel the Pearl

The significance of the title to the novel ‘The Pearl’. The novel ‘The Pearl’ by John Steinbeck is such a novel that really interest me as a reader. What is really appropriate is the title itself which incorporate ‘the pearl’, the essence of the story. The pearl is very significant to the title because without ‘the pearl of the world’, the story just would not exist. The novel could not stand by itself if the pearl is not found. We can also see that any story would not be interesting without conflicts.The pearl has created conflicts among the characters in the novel. Thus, it can be said that it is the pearl that moves the story. The characters are nothing without the pearl. The pearl is the beginning and the end of the novel. As readers, we can see that the pearl appears as something significant when Kino found it. The finding of the pearl is described vividly in the story. Its colour and shape are shown by the writer graphically. The response from Kino who clinched his fist triumphantly and his friends who come in drove show the importance of the pearl.We realized that the story revolves around the pearl. This continues till the end of the story. The disappearance of the pearl when it was thrown by Kino marks the end of the story. Therefore, the pearl is a single entity which is very important to the novel. The pearl is crucial as the title as it differentiate between good and evil and between the poor and the wealthy. It becomes a priceless commodity that turns the character into who they are. Those who wish to be evil use the pearl for evil purposes whereas the good just need it for their normal life.Thus the pearl is very significant to both parties, and to the title of the novel. A novel energy lies in the existence of powerful characters and plot. Although the pearl is not a character, its involvement in nearly all the important happenings is a statement that it is the energy that drives the story forwa rd. Those who touch it become obsess with it and those who haven’t are willing to do anything to get it. Kino becomes obsessed with the pearl promises and the doctor is willing to sacrifice his professional etiquette to obtain the pearl.It seems that the energy of the pearl is uncontrollable. This makes ‘The Pearl’ a remarkable tale that interest readers. A story needs a suitable setting which suit the period. The pearl is a perfect instrument that suits a story that takes place in La Paz, an important pearl producer in American Continent. We can imagine that if the pearl is replaced with other thing, the novel would become dull and the story becomes irrelevant. It is an important tool that require by many people in La Paz, including the natives and the wealthy immigrants.Kino himself said that the pearl is his soul. The pearl that drives the economy of La Paz is also the one that drives the plot of ‘The Pearl’. The points above have shown that the t itle of the novel ‘The Pearl’ which uses the pearl of the world as its main ingredient is rightly chosen. The title ‘The Pearl’ perfectly suits the story plot. It also provides the right ingredient for conflicts and a foundation for a never ending quests for a good life.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) In order to get a patent or trademark or to register a copyright in America, inventors, creators, and artists must apply through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Alexandria, Virginia; in general, patents are only effective in the country for which they are granted. Ever since the first U.S. patent was granted in 1790 to Samuel Hopkins of Philadelphia for making pot and pearl ashes- a cleaning formula used in soapmaking- over eight million patents have been registered in at the USPTO. A patent gives an inventor the right to exclude all others from making, using, importing, selling, or offering to sell the invention for up to 20 years without the inventors permission- however, a patent is not required to sell a product or process, it simply protects these inventions from being stolen. This gives the inventor the opportunity to produce and market the invention himself, or license others to do so, and to make a profit. However, a patent does not guarantee monetary success by itself. An inventor gets paid by either selling the invention or by licensing or selling (assigning) the patent rights to someone else. Not all inventions are commercially successful, and in fact, the invention may actually cost the inventor more money than he or she makes unless a strong business and marketing plan is created. Patent Requirements One of the most-often overlooked requirements for submitting a successful patent is the cost associated, which can be very high for some people. Although fees for the patent application, issue, and maintenance are reduced by 50 percent when the applicant is a small business or individual inventor, you can expect to pay the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office a minimum of about $4,000 over the life of the patent. A patent may be obtained for any new, useful, unobvious invention, though it generally cannot be obtained for the laws of nature, physical phenomena, and abstract ideas; a new mineral or a new plant found in the wild; inventions useful solely in the utilization of special nuclear material or atomic energy for weapons; a machine that is not useful; printed matter; or human beings. There are specific requirements for all patent applications. An application must include a specification, including a description and claim(s); an oath or declaration identifying the applicant(s) believing to be the original inventor(s); a drawing when necessary; and the filing fee. Prior to 1870, a model of the invention was required as well, but today, a model is almost never required. Naming an invention- another requirement of submitting a patent- actually involves developing at least two names: the generic name and the brand name or trademark. For example, Pepsi ® and Coke ® are brand names; cola or soda  is  the generic or product name. Big Mac ® and Whopper ® are brand names; hamburger is the generic or product name. Nike ® and Reebok ® are brand names; sneaker or athletic shoe are generic or product names. Time is another factor of patent requests. In general, it takes the  6,500 employees of the USPTO upwards of 22 months to process and approve a patent application, and oftentimes this time can be longer since many first drafts of patents are rejected and need to be sent back with corrections. There are no age restrictions on applying for a patent, but only the true inventor is entitled to a patent, and the youngest person to be granted a patent is a four-year-old girl from Houston, Texas, for aid for grasping round knobs. Proving an Original Invention Another requirement of all applications for patents is that the product or process being patented must be unique in that no other similar inventions have been patented before it. When the Patent and Trademark Office receives two patent applications for the same inventions, the cases go into an interference proceeding. The Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences then determines the first inventor who thus may be entitled to a patent based on the information provided by the inventors, which is why it is so important for inventors to keep good records. Inventors can make a search of patents already granted, textbooks, journals, and other publications to be sure that someone else has not already invented their idea. They can also hire someone to do it for them or may do this themselves at the Public Search Room of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Arlington, Virginia, on the PTO web page on the Internet, or at one of the Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries across the country. Similarly, with trademarks, the USPTO determines whether there is a conflict between two marks by evaluating whether consumers would be likely to confuse the goods or services of one party with those of the other party as a result of the use of the marks at issue by both parties. Patent Pending and the Risk of Not Having a Patent Patent Pending is a phrase that often appears on manufactured items. It means that someone has applied for a patent on an invention that is contained in the manufactured item and serves as a warning that a patent may issue that would cover the item and that copiers should be careful because they might infringe if the patent issues. Once the patent is approved, the patent owner will stop using the phrase patent pending and start using a phrase such as covered by U.S. Patent Number XXXXXXX. Applying the patent pending phrase to an item when no patent application has been made can result in a fine from the USPTO. Although you do not need to have a patent to sell an invention in the United States, you run the risk of someone stealing your idea and marketing themselves if you do not get one. In some cases, you could keep your invention a secret like the Coca-Cola Company keeps the formula for Coke a secret, which is called a trade secret, but otherwise, without a patent, you run a risk of someone else copying your invention with no rewards to you as the inventor. If you do have a patent and think someone has infringed on your patent rights, then you can sue that person or company in federal court and get reparations for profits lost as well as claim their profits from selling your patented product or process. Renewing or Removing Patents You cant renew a patent after it expires. However, patents may be extended by a special act of Congress and under certain  circumstances, certain pharmaceutical patents may be extended to make up the time lost during the Food and Drug Administrations approval process. After the patent expires, the inventor loses exclusive rights to the invention. An inventor probably wouldnt want to lose patent rights on a product. However, a patent may be lost if determined to be invalid by the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks. For example, as a result of a  reexamination  proceeding or if the patentee fails to pay the required maintenance fees the patent may be lost; a court may also determine that a patent invalid. In any case, each employee at the Patent and Trademark Office takes an oath of office to uphold the laws of the United States and are prohibited from applying for patents themselves, so you can be sure to trust these individuals with your new invention- no matter how great or stealable you may think it is!