Thursday, November 28, 2019

Antigone Essays (895 words) - Ancient Greece, Greek Mythology

Antigone In Ancient Greece, new ideals surfaced as answers to life's complicated questions. These new beliefs were centered on the expanding field of science. Man was focused on more than the Gods or heavenly concerns. A government that was ruled by the people was suggested as opposed to a monarchy that had existed for many years. Freedom of religion was encouraged to be exercised in city-states. These new ideals, though good in intentions, often conflicted with each other creating complex moral dilemmas. Such was the case in Antigone a play written by Sophocles during this era of change. In the play, Antigone and Creon battle a philosophical war dealing with the controversy of the Greek ideals. They both based their actions on their beliefs of what is right and wrong. The conflict arose when the ideals that backed up their actions clashed with each other, making it contradiction between morals. Antigone's side of the conflict held a much more heavenly approach, as opposed to the mundane road that Creon chose to follow. Antigone feels that Creon is disregarding the laws of heaven through his edict. After she is captured and brought to Creon, she tells him ?I do not think your edicts strong enough to overrule the unwritten unalterable laws of God and heaven, you being only a man.? Antigone's staunch opinion is one that supports the Gods and the laws of heaven. Her reasoning is set by her belief that if someone is not given a proper burial, that person would not be accepted into heaven. Antigone was a very religious person, and acceptance of her brother by the Gods was very important to her. She felt that ?It is against you and me he has made this order. Yes, against me.? Creon's order was personal to Antigone. His edict invaded her family life as well as the Gods'. An important ideal in Ancient Greece was the belief that the government was to have no control in matters concerning religious beliefs. In Antigone's eyes, Creon betrayed that ideal by not allowing her to properly bury her brother, Polynices. She believed that the burial was a religious ceremony, and Creon did not have the power to deny Polynices that right. Antigone's strong beliefs eventually led her to her death by the hand of Creon. Never, though, did she stop defending what she thought was right. As Creon ordered her to her death, Antigone exclaimed, ?I go, his prisoner, because I honoured those things in which honour truly belongs.? She is directly humiliating Creon by calling his opinions and decisions weak and unjust. She also emphasizes ?his prisoner,? which tells us that Creon's decision to capture Antigone was his own, and was not backed up by the majority of the people. She feels that Creon is abusing his power as king and dealing with her task to a persona! l level. Creon's actions are guided by the ideal that states ?Man is the measure of all things.? The chorus emphasizes this point during the play by stating that ?There is nothing beyond (man's) power.? Creon believes that the good of man comes before the gods. Setting the example using Polynices' body left unburied is a symbol of Creon's belief. ?No man who is his country's enemy shall call himself my friend.? This quote shows that leaving the body unburied is done to show respect for Thebes. After all, how could the ruler of a city-state honor a man who attempted to invade and conquer his city. From that perspective, Creon's actions are completely just and supported by the ideals. Though most of Creon's reasonings coincide with the Greek ideals, one ideal strongly contradicts his actions. The ideal states that the population would be granted freedom from political oppression and that freedom of religion would be carried out. Creon defied both of these. First, Antigone was ?his prisoner?, not necessarily the publics. In fact, the general population supported Antigone, though they were too scared to say anything. Haemon, the son of Creon, knew of this, and told Creon, ?Has she not rather earned a crown of gold?- Such is the secret talk of the town.? This proves that Creon was exercising complete domination of political power, which is

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Teen driving †The Chaos and The Cure

Teen driving – The Chaos and The Cure Free Online Research Papers Outline The teen driver have seen many changes in driving restrictions over the years but these restrictions have not curbed fatalities and injuries among drivers ages 16 -18 years old. 1. History of the driver’s license and teen driving statistics a. History of the driver’s license b. Teen fatality statistics c. The effects of ten driver accidents 2. The reason for teen driver error a. Immaturity b. Changes in drivers education c. Speeding and not wearing a seat belt d. Alcohol e. Distraction f. Cell phones 3. Laws and measure taken to curb teen driver accidents a. Graduated driving laws b. Cell Phone ban 4. The future of teen drivers. a. The black box b. Stricter parenting Teen driving – the chaos and the cure Teenagers dream of the day when they will receive their license and take a step closer to independence and gaining freedom from their parents. It is the rite of passage that many fifteen year olds yearn for. We count the days to our 16th birthday, waiting to make a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles to receive our permit. It is exciting, exhilarating and just the mere thought of racing down the country roads makes our spine tingleFreedom! We all remember those months leading up to getting our permits but in those first days behind the wheel do we think about the number of deaths and accidents that occur due to teen driving? The number of families destroyed, futures cut short all because that excitement we feel takes us over and turns our impressionable 16 year old into a reckless, irresponsible drivers. The government has implemented laws to curb this problem but to no avail. I will deal with the following questions. What causes teen driving to be the no. 1 killer in America? Are the laws implemented by the government sufficient? What more can be done? Automobile crashes are the no. 1 killers of teens in the United States says Martha Irvine the author of the article Campaigns, Laws Try to Curb Deadly Teen Wrecks. She goes on to add â€Å"thousands of driving-age teens still die in crashes each year.† (1) The statistic don’t lie, the Centre for Disease Control reiterates Irvine’s claim â€Å"In 2008 nine teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries.† Katie Thomas in her article Teens: Safer Drivers Ahead? points out an interesting percentage Drivers aged 15 to 20 comprise only 7 percent of licensed drivers nationwide, but about 14 percent of all highway fatalities† (2) Taking into account these staggering factors there is no doubt that teen driving is a definite problem. In the United States, teenagers drive less than all but the oldest people, but their numbers of crashes and crash deaths are disproportionately high. In South and North Dakota, Idaho, Iowa, Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, and Montana the legal age to apply for a permit is 14 yrs and 6 months. Is a 14 yr old too immature to handle an automobile? Research conducted by the National Institute of Health thinks so â€Å"The part of the brain that weighs risks and controls impulsive behavior isnt fully developed until about age 25.† In another article, â€Å"Keeping Teen Drivers Alive: What Can Be Done to Fight the No. 1 Cause of Death in Youths?† Temple University psychologist Steinberg writes â€Å"the brain of a 15 or 16 year old had the ability to be logical in reasoning but since his minds social and emotional development is relatively immature.† â€Å"He finds risk and thrill seeking attractive which makes him vulnerable to distraction and peer pressure.(2)† W hat exactly is going on in the teen brain that makes the driver more vulnerable to crashing, no one knows for sure, Steinberg said. But it is likely due to the combination of a relatively more activated brain system that propels individuals toward sensation-seeking and impulsive behavior and a still immature brain system that helps individuals regulate emotions and behavior.† Mellissa Savage in her article Surviving Driving says â€Å"20 percent of 16-year-olds are involved in an accident during their first year of driving.†(3) The first year of driving is the most critical part of a new driver education behind the wheel but as the economy is in a slump many schools have had to pull back the funds directed to drivers education. This leaves it up to the parents to either teach the child or send them to a driver education class at a commercial driving school. Commercial driving schools could cost $350 to $700, leaving the parents who cannot afford these classes to teach their child. Even for those who can do it, the combination of parents, teenagers and learning how to drive can be volatile. Parents may find a way past a volatile environment that is created by being your child’s teacher, but the informal teaching methods will pass on the bad habits from the parent to the child as the parents have no guide lines that need to be followed as an instructor teaching drivers education would. Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next). The presence of male teenage passengers increases the likelihood of this risky driving behavior. Of male drivers killed between 15 and 20 years of age 38% were speeding .A common cause of teen driver accidents is speeding, as soon as a teen gets behind the wheel the words â€Å"I have the need, a need for speed† can be heard echoing in his head. Therefore it’s not a surprise that teens are more likely to speed and tailgate and less likely to wear seat belts than older drivers. Compared with other age groups; teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. In 2005, 10% of high school students reported they rarely or never wear seat belts when driving or riding with someone else. Underage drinking has been a problem for many years. A drunk teen behind a wheel of car leads to lethal combination. Historically, most states had drinking ages of 21 after the end of Prohibition in 1933. However, from 1970 to 1975, more than half dropped it to 18 after baby boomers argued that if they could be drafted to fight in Vietnam; they should be allowed to drink. Then, after a campaign by Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) and several studies describing teenage drinking as an epidemic, Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. It required states to raise the age to 21 within two years or lose part of their federal aid for highways. This has not stopped the high school or college kids from finding ways to get alcohol. Of male drivers killed between 15 and 20 years of age, 24% had been drinking and driving. About 23% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in car crashes had a Blood Alcohol Counts of 0.08 or higher. Even after the awareness has been raised a bout teen drinking driving about 30% of teens reported within the previous 30 days, they had been a passenger in a car with a driver who had been drinking alcohol and one in 10 teens said they personally had driven after drinking alcohol. Inexperienced teen drivers are more easily distracted than others. Behind the wheel they are less likely to recognize and react quickly to dangerous driving conditions. New drivers, particularly young men, often show off and are prone to taking risks. Distracted driving is a catchall term says Stephanie Hanes.† all sorts of behavior behind the wheel, from eating to applying makeup to texting† she says can be found primarily in teen drivers. She goes on to say â€Å"A distracted driver has what psychologists call inattention blindnessthe brain does not process what is physically within eyesight, such as a red light.†(4) Arizona representative Steve Farley who is trying to get bills passed to curb teen driver distraction says Distracted driving can be as impairing as drunk driving. Its been a big problem here and I knew that I had do something about it. â€Å" When the cell phone was first introduced there was no doubt it made our lives much easier, the flexibility and the convenience. The cell phone is no longer a device used to make phone calls, with the added feature of texting, instant messaging, applications for facebook and other social networks it has become a must have for teenagers. Teens from ages of 12 to 19 are often inseparable from the extended arm, this obsession with their cell phone does not end when they get behind the wheel, it continues. Stephanie Hanes in her article Texting While Driving: The New Drunk Driving writes â€Å"Study upon study showed talking on a cell phone while driving was far more dangerous than shed realizedthat a driver on a phone had the same reaction speed as someone legally intoxicated, those talking on a phone behind the wheel are four times as likely to crash, that texting while driving is even more dangerous. And studies repeatedly showed that hands-free headsetssometimes advertised as safer- were no less dangerous.†(2) In order to curb teen driver accidents 32 states in the last year have passed 80 different amendments and laws. The most promising law that was passed in recent years passed in Florida in 1996, the Graduated Drivers License (GDL) laws. Its a system designed to phase in young beginners to full driving privileges as they become more mature and develop their driving skills. There are 3 stages to a graduated system: a supervised learners period; an intermediate license (after passing the driver test) which limits driving in high-risk situations except under supervision; and then a license with full privileges, available after completing the first 2 stages. The best systems include a learners stage beginning at age 16 and lasting at least 6 months, 30 or more hours of supervised driving, plus restrictions on unsupervised night driving and passengers during the first 6 to 12 months of licensure. The nighttime driving restriction should start at 9 or 10 p.m., and no more than 1 teen passeng er should be allowed any time of day. There has been a considerable drop in fatalities and injuries among 15 – 17 yr old drivers after the inception of the Graduated driver’s license. (GDL) Other notable laws have been incepted are the cell phone law. More states are now banning the use of cell phones in order to curb the number of accidents caused by texting or talking on phone the while driving. Teens have prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones and other communications devices until age 19. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles driver 16 to 17 yr olds must wear a seat belt or be fined if found without one. A mere $15 fine in the past has now been raised to $75. What else can we do to curb teen fatalities and accidents? New innovations to monitor teen driving habits have been devised but not yet for sale. 0ne such device is the black box, similar to the black box found in a plane. Robert Davis writes of the black box â€Å"it records data like the cars speed and growls warnings when the driver is going too fast or turning too hard. Parents can check the box later and see for themselves just how fast their teen-ager was driving.† Teens may not like being monitored but it may save lives. Sharon Silke Carty believes in approaching teen drivers with a more traditional method she says â€Å"Parents play an important role in curbing bad teen driving. It’s proven that stricter rules enforced positively have lowered teen accidents. â€Å"(2) She goes on to say â€Å"Teens who say their parents are actively involved cut their risk of drinking and driving by 70%, are half as likely to speed and 30% less likely to use a cell phone.â⠂¬  (2) Diane Lynn writes of a family â€Å"Our local pediatrician and his wife, parents of seven, take a different approach: They pay their children $2,000 each NOT to drive alone until turning 18. This money would be approximately the cost of insurance if the teenager were driving. Instead, it is applied to the purchase of a car when the child turns 18.†(1) Not a practical approach in every family’s circumstance but an innovative way to give your child incentive to put off driving till he better equipped to handle it. The chaos caused by teen driving fatalities or accidents is undeniable but is the government doing enough to curb this problem? I don’t think so. The graduating drivers license is a start but if we don’t take into consideration we are placing a huge responsibility in the hands of a teen whose brain will not be fully developed till he is 25 we will not find a cure to this problem. So why with all these various studies being done is the legal age to obtain a drivers permit in 7 out of 50 state still 14yrs and 6 months? Parents would like not to drive their children everywhere. Teens would like to have their independence but unless a driver has the education, the willingness and support of parents willing to monitor and instill good driving habits in their children. A 16 yr old should not be given the keys to the car. The chaos rages on and unless radical moves are made to curb teen driver accidents a will not be found. Work Cited Carty, Sharon Silke. Teens Driving Tied to Folks. USA Today 25 Sep 2009: B.5. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010 Thomas, Katie. Teens: Safer Drivers Ahead? Newsday (Long Island, NY) Oct. 4 1998: A7+. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010. Irvine, Martha. Campaigns, Laws Try to Curb Deadly Teen Wrecks. Las Vegas Review- Journal (Las Vegas, NV) 13 May 2001: 3A+. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010. ODonnell, Jayne. If a Teens at the Wheel, Crashes Fit a Pattern. USA Today Feb. 28 2005: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010. Gregory, Ted, and John McCormick. Keeping Teen Drivers Alive: What Can Be Done to Fight the No. 1 Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) 05 Mar 2006: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010. Savage, Melissa. Teen Driver Tune-Up. State Legislatures Vol. 35 No. 8 Sep 2009: 20-21. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010. Sundeen, Matt. Driving While Distracted. State Legislatures Vol. 34 No. 5 May 2008: 20-21. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010. Hanes, Stephanie. Texting While Driving: The New Drunk Driving. Christian Science Monitor 05 Nov 2009: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010. Davis, Robert. Teen at Wheel Makes Driving Doubly Deadly. USA Today July 5-7 2002: 1A- 2A. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 March 2010. rmiia.org/auto/teens/Teen_Driving_Statistics.asp car-accidents.com/teen-car-accidents.html cdc.gov/MotorVehicleSafety/Teen_Drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html ct.gov/teendriving/lib/teendriving/handoutteen_lawssupplementfinal.pdf dmv.ca.gov/teenweb/more_btn6/traffic/traffic.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drivers_license_in_the_United_States Research Papers on Teen driving – The Chaos and The CurePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationTwilight of the UAWMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesDefinition of Export QuotasEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenPETSTEL analysis of IndiaCapital PunishmentComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Contract Law Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Contract Law Questions - Assignment Example A contract of sale meanwhile is a contract where one party called the vendor or seller obligates himself to transfer the ownership of and to deliver a determinate thing, while the other party called the vendee or buyer obligates himself to pay for the said thing a price certain in money or its equivalent. In the case at bar, there are two issues involved i.e. whether there is an employment contract between Abe and his prospective employer and whether there is a contract of sale between Abe and the supplier of the goods. A further issue is whether Abe can return the goods and get his money back. As to the first issue, there is clearly no meeting of minds as Abe merely presumed he will get the contract. There is no acquiescence to the contract on the part of the employer. There is no offer and there is no acceptance as mandated as essential in the case Adams v Lindsell (Furmston & Chevalier 2006,p.15). On the part of Abe, he may rescind if the supplier commits a breach of warranty agai nst hidden defects which also includes unfitness for the use intended or encumbrances upon the thing sold as illustrated in the case Re Moore v Landauer (Owens 2001,p.455). Since there is none of the above, there is no breach of warranty and thus he may not be allowed to return the goods he had bought. b). If a resprayed surface of the car may be considered as a hidden or redhibitory defect, it is not a serious or important defect that may render the car unfit or considerably decreases its fitness. The respraying only causes a slight change in the quality of the car, for better or for worse, and may not even be considered as a hidden defect. Thus I would advise Bert that there is no need to refund money because the act of respraying does not go into the root of the contract as held in the case HongKong Fir Shipping Co. Ltd. v Kawasaki.   c) The court held in the case Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Cash Chemists (Southern ) Ltd. that "the display of goods in a store constitutes an invitation to treat and not a contractual offer". Thus, I would advise Chris not to pursue and insist on his offer to buy the mixer at the price he desired because the price tag in the advertised mixer is not a contractual offer but a mere invitation to inquire into (Salzedo et al 2004,p.4).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Michael Jordans biography as a sportsperson as well as a non-sports Essay

Michael Jordans biography as a sportsperson as well as a non-sports person - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, Michael Jeffrey Jordan (MJ) is one of the most famous professional basketball players not only in America but also in the world. He has played around 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the 80s and 90s. Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards were the major clubs for which MJ had displayed his basketball skills and abilities. It is believed that no other professional basketball players are as popular as MJ. MJ was instrumental in popularizing basketball not only in America but also across the world. Even though the popularity of MJ as a basketball player is unquestionable, his life is not free from controversies. It is believed that MJ was interested not only in sports activities but also in some of the other unacceptable social activities such as gambling. During the playoff season in 1993, Jordan has reported gambling in Atlanta just before one of the crucial match es of his club.   He admitted in the same year that he had lost around $57,000 in gambling. Moreover, author Richard Esquinas claimed that he had won $1.25  million from Jordan on the golf course (Anderson, 1993). In short, the weakness of Jordan towards gambling is well recorded in the history.   Apart from a great basketball player, MJ is a good businessman also. â€Å"Jordan is involved in a number of business ventures, including several restaurants".

Monday, November 18, 2019

Year-Round Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Year-Round Education - Research Paper Example It is important to know the difference between this modified calendar and traditional system to compare the benefits and drawbacks of this development. Unlike the traditional system where a multiple month vacation (mostly in summer) is given to students, year round schools offer a cumulative holidays of about 2 months distributed over the year. These year round schools can further offer single track, multi track or extended year format. When this new system was introduced in the mid 80s, a lot of controversies erupted that highlighted concerns over certain issues. In order to analyze and compare these two systems it is mandatory to dissect those issues. Traditional system had served its purpose well for a very long time. Now if it was to change it could have some positive or negative effect on the individuals associated with it, most importantly, the students and the teachers (Haser & Ilham 2005). So while comparing these two systems focus should be on observing any change in their a ttitude. For example, a student from a year round school system can be disturbed looking at the kids of his age enjoying their long summer vacations. Other factors that are important to consider are effect on academic performance, cost and changing a norm of a society. Year round Education and Academic Achievement: Various researches have been conducted around the world to compare the two education calendars. Lindsay-Brown, 2010, investigated and compared the impact of year round school calendar and traditional school calendar on the academic achievements in North Central South Carolina. In this study, 256 elementary students from four different schools, each pair following different calendars, were tested using the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT). English language arts and mathematics were the subjects tested in the study. After all the fine adjustments were done to the obtained data, the result showed that there was no significant difference in the academic achievements when students from year round schools versus traditional schools were compared. Another review paper of 39 studies (Cooper et al 2003) also indicated a weak and insignificant effect of modified school calendar on academic achievement. Most of the think tanks that are in the favor of this modified calendar place their arguments on the basis of superior academic achievements. These results, however, is in direct contradiction to their theory. Some groups such as â€Å"Summer Matters† believe that traditional school system is best for the students and society. The argument is based on philosophy of family ties and relationships. They believe that long summer breaks allow families to come together and cherish the moments with their children. This social support catalyzes children efforts and stimulates them to perform better in the field of education. Moreover, they insist that summer vacations provide an excellent opportunity for kids to learn and discover new things. Why Year round Education Calendar? So if year round education does not help students to excel in their academics, then why this system has gained popularity over the years? Parents, faculty and administrator weigh certain other factors as well such as growing school enrollments, working parents and shrinking budget (Sheilds & Stevens, 2000). These problems are partially solved by introducing this education calendar. For example, multi-track year round schooling divides students into groups and rotates them in an organized manner. This multi tracking can increase the capacity of school by 30%. Therefore, the total number of students accommodated in 4 traditional schoo

Friday, November 15, 2019

Community Development Challenges

Community Development Challenges 1. Introduction The concept of community development, an accepted and much lauded mechanism for interventionist and participative social development grew out of the many strange ironies of empire building. The British, after infiltrating and achieving political domination over the Indian sub continent and vast tracts of Africa, and thereafter ensuring the decimation of local trade, industry, handicrafts and self government initiatives, made its officers busy with action plans and initiatives to develop and empower communities in these nations at the local level. Nobody in the British establishment presumably thought of the need to find out from the benefiting (sic) community whether they wanted either the destruction and bondage, or the succeeding efforts to help in local development and empowerment. Notwithstanding the rather questionable beginnings of the community development effort, the concept has grown over the ages to become an established method for interventionist social development where external agencies, governmental or otherwise, initiate, encourage and help local community development efforts in numerous areas, including social and economic development, fostering a capacity for local co-operation and self-help, with the use of expertise and methods drawn from outside the local community. (Midgeley, 1995) Community development initiatives, while growing and adapting to the needs of local communities in the UK and the USA, and despite being adopted by voluntary organisations like Rotary International for world wide implementation, have also seen large scale failures in meeting its objectives, especially in the African countries. These failures, especially in areas where they were needed most, led to disillusionment, and a feeling that community development practices w ere ill founded, or based upon unworkable concepts, and should possibly be replaced with other modes of development. Nevertheless, community development efforts remain globally strong and attract many young and well-intentioned people, to work towards achievement of economic and social improvement of underprivileged or deprived communities. It becomes extremely important for community development initiators, practitioners, workers and volunteers, to understand the principles and values of community development, in order to understand its potential and limitations, the many constraints and challenges that crop up in the development process, and the likely chances of the success or failure of development initiatives. 2. Commentary Community development has been defined by an official publication of the UK government as â€Å" active participation, and if possible on the initiative of the community, but if this initiative is not forthcoming spontaneously, by the use of techniques for arousing and stimulating it in order to achieve its active and enthusiastic response to the movement. (Smith, 2006) This definition entails an inherent contradiction, namely that while community development works on the principles of local participation, initiative and self-help at the community level, it also calls for sponsorship by external, mostly governmental agencies, who see it as an avenue for implementing governmental policies at the local level. Development initiatives thus also involve a significant amount of social work, and sometimes, even activism, in regions characterised by illiteracy, backwardness, poverty, deprivation, inequality and oppression. Community development initiatives are characterised by the presence of two elements, one local, meaning the existing community, and the other, external, which is represented by governmental agencies, not for profit service organisations like the Rotary, and private foundations and corporations. British American Tobacco (BAT), for instance, sponsors significant community development programmes for tobacco growing communities in Asian and African countries, while Rotary International works on village extension and community development programmes in many nations, in which it has a presence. Non-governmental organisations, however, still need to operate with the help of the local government in many areas, thus making the involvement of the state in community development a fait accompli. The functioning of external agencies in community development involves a number of phases that commences with the localising of a community and ascertainment of its various deficiencies and needs. This initial assessment is followed by the agency entering the community, obtaining familiarity with the neighbourhood, ascertaining needs, objectives and roles, establishing contact with local people, influence makers and power centres, bringing people together, obtaining agreement on specific objectives, forming and building local organisations to improve local issues like health, education, economy and self empowerment, clarifying goals and priorities, catalysing action, helping in keeping the initiatives going, monitoring progress, and taking corrective action. At all stages external agencies need to work in a catalytic fashion, encouraging, helping, and assisting community work, while refraining. from taking on a controlling role. Empowerment, and the building and enhancement of local community capacity in various areas that help in development should be the main objectives, as opposed to achieving results through direct control of the development process. (Henderson and Thomas, 2001) Community development activity can be general or specialised. Generic work takes place in a geographically demarcated area, takes up all the issues that lead to social and economic disadvantage, and works out participative programmes to alleviate or eliminate them. The context can be either urban or rural. While rural development has gained ground in recent years and is attracting more funds, community development is an equally critical requirement in the slums and underbellies of the world’s metropolises, which continue to be haunted by gang overlords, prostitution, substance abuse, and domestic violence, as well as lack of educational facilities and poor housing. Specialised community work deals with specific groups within a region, namely issues like homelessness, unemployment, child prostitution, substance abuse or ethic issues, or with identified issues like transportation, housing, public health or sanitation. (Hickey and Mohan, 2004) A USDA publication states that commu nity development initiatives are best achieved through the creation of business initiatives, sustainable community development, community-based partnerships and building and initiating long-term strategic plans. (Key principles of community empowerment, 2002) This complex situation demands great understanding, perception and ability from community development workers. These committed men and women are expected to handle a myriad functions that include identifying community issues, needs and problems, developing new community based programmes and resources, and evaluating and mentoring existing programmes. They also need to be outgoing, possess excellent communication skills, and be able to empathise with members of the local community, qualities that help in obtaining cooperation and help from government bodies, community organisations, and various sponsors, as well as in raising public awareness on relevant issues. Community development practitioners are also expected to provide leadership, co-ordinate programmes, facilitate and promote community self help, encourage and increase local participation, and challenge inappropriate political and social structures. Administratively, their functions entail formulation, development and finalisa tion of strategies, recruitment, motivation and training paid and voluntary workers, networking extensively to build contacts and raise funds, liaising with interested voluntary groups to build new programmes and services, mediating and negotiating with opposing parties, planning, attending and co-ordinating meetings and events, overseeing, optimising and administering limited budgets, preparing reports, and carrying out other required administrative tasks. (Community development worker, 2007) 3. Conclusion Community development demands enormous integrity, stamina, maturity and compassion from practitioners, workers and volunteers. The inherent difficulties in working in alien locations in non-structured working environments and inherently dynamic and changing conditions pose significant challenges. In addition, the inherent contradictions of being human catalysts for social change in foreign environments, of being change agents, at once part and yet distinct from the community, instil feelings of inadequacy, and sometimes even rejection, in communities where intervention may not be welcomed by significantly substantial members of the community. Community development projects aim to unearth local problems, resource limitations, and unsatisfied needs, and work towards their objectives through local participation and empowerment. Yet community participation often fails, once the operating agency withdraws, and much of the gains of community development are lost in the following years. Most agencies working in community development, e.g. the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and Rotary International, as well as governmental and private agencies feel this to be a major problem. Situations like this, as well as apprehensions of development of such situations, result in implementing agencies having to stay on in particular communities or with specific projects, much after their need has diminished, and their services and skills required elsewhere. (Bhattacharya, 2004) This often happens because of confusion in community development objectives and the undertaking of roles, in excess of actual needs, by development agencies. This factor, when combined with the role assumed by development agencies in mobilising funds, often results in producing feelings of inadequacy and helplessness in the community. It strengthens attitudes that magnify community problems, link the success of programmes with the expertise, infrastructure, and fund mobilising ability of the agencies, and works towards disempowering the members of the community, instead of increasing their capacity to address their problems. This overstretching by development workers establishes and ingrains a sense of reliance of the community on the agency, which consequently tends to negate the essence of the development programme. Development practitioners need to understand the delicacy of their roles and the thin line that they must necessarily tread upon if the community is to become truly emp owered. A greater appreciation of the necessity for producing change agents in the local community, rather than donning the mantle themselves for perpetuity, and the need for engaging local people, so that they can help communities create a common dream of a fair and sustainable future, becomes extremely important for the long-term success of community development programmes. Community development practitioners play extremely important roles in today’s grossly inequitable society, and with their grass root developmental programmes, have been instrumental in improving lives across the globe. A better appreciation of the values and principles of community development will possibly help them in improving the results of their efforts. Bibliography Ben-Meir, J.,2006, March/April, Win the War of Ideas through Community Development. The Humanist, 66, 5+. Bhattacharyya, J., 2004, Theorizing Community Development. Journal of the Community Development Society, 34(2), 5+. Community development worker: job description and activities, 2007, Prospects.ac, Retrieved April 14 from www.prospects.ac.uk/links/CommWorker Denise, P. S. Harris, I. M. (Eds.), 1989, Experiential Education for Community Development. New York: Greenwood Press. Dube, S. C., 1958, Indias Changing Villages: Human Factors in Community Development. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Hamilton, E., 1992, Adult Education for Community Development. New York: Greenwood Press. Henderson, P. and Thomas, D. N., 2001, Skills in Neighbourhood Work 3e, London: Routledge Oliver, G., 2000, August, Gentrification Threatens Community Development Groups. Planning, 66, 29. Key principles of community empowerment, 2002, Rural empowerment programs, Retrieved April 14, 2007 from www.ezec.gov/Communit/rurempowprogguide.pdf Midgley, J., 1995, Social Development, The developmental perspective in social welfare, London: Sage. Popple, K., 1995, Analysing Community Work. Its theory and practice, Buckingham: Open University Press Smith, M, 2006, Community Development, Infed, Retrieved April 14, 2007 from www.infed.org/community/b-comdv.htm

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Brian Wilson :: Biographies Music Papers

Brian Wilson I can remember when I was a little girl, my father and I would listen to Beach Boys’ albums together in our living room. My favorite song was Kokomo and I would sing it all the time. I loved the cheerful sounds of the music and the fun loving attitude that The Beach Boys portrayed. As I grew older, I still loved The Beach Boys, and I continued to listen to their music frequently. The more I learned about music the more amazing their music seemed. The tight harmonies and unique instruments made each song unique and made me more and more interested in finding out how they were created. Brian Wilson is the creative genius that wrote and produced much of The Beach Boys’ music. Despite being near deaf in one ear, Wilson managed to not only provide the Beach Boys with countless hit records, but also made a major impact on popular music as a whole. His music influenced most major pop musicians today and his harmonies are used in songs sung by such pop acts as N’Sync and The Backstreet Boys. Even the Beatles admit that they felt threatened by the Beach Boys and without the creative challenge that Brian Wilson posed, both Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band would have never come into being. Born in Inglewood, California, June 10, 1942, Brian was the first child of Murry, who was an aspiring songwriter, and Audree Wilson, a talented pianist. Brian’s life was always full of music. Brian Wilson said in his biography Wouldn’t It Be Nice, â€Å"As far as I can remember, I have always heard music, faint strains of melody floating in my head...I was able to tune into a mysterious, god-given music. It was my gift.† However, Brian did not have a happy childhood. His father both physically and emotionally abused Brian, Brian’s mother, and later, Brian’s two younger brothers, Dennis and Carl. His mother turned to alcoholism to escape from the abuse. Also, because she was afraid of Murry, Audree rarely showed her boys physical affection.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Bentton Group

From the book: Managerial Accounting for Managers by Noreen, Brewer, and Garrison Research and Application 5-34 The questions in this exercise are based on the Benetton Group, a company headquartered in Italy and known in the United States primarily for one of its brands of fashion apparel-United Colors of Benetton. To answer the questions, you will need to download the Benetton Group’s 2004 Annual Report at www. benetton. com/investors . You do not need to print this document to answer the questions. Required: 1. How do the formats of the income statements shown on pages 33 and 50 of Benetton’s annual report differ from one another (disregard everything beneath the line titled â€Å"income from operations†)? Which expenses shown on page 50 appear to have been reclassified as variable selling costs on page 33? 2. Why do you thing cost of sales is included in the computation of contribution margin on page 33? 3. Perform two separate computations of Benetton’s break-even point in euros. For the first computation, use data from 2003. For the second computation, use data from 2004. Why do the numbers that you computed differ from one another? 4. What sales volume would have been necessary in 2004 for Benetton to attain a target income from operations of â‚ ¬300 million? 5. Compute Benetton’s margin of safety using data from 2003 and 2004. Why do your answers for the two years differ from one another? 6. What is Benetton’s degree of operating leverage in 2004? If Benetton’s sales in 2004 had been 6% higher than what is shown in the annual report, what income from operations would the company have earned? What percentage increase in income from operations does this represent? 7. What income from operations would Benetton have earned in 2004 if it had invested an additional â‚ ¬10 million in advertising and promotions and realized a 3% increase in sales? As an alternative, what income from operations would Benetton have earned if it not only invested an additional â‚ ¬10 million in advertising and promotions but also raised its sales commission rate to 6% of sales, thereby generating a 5% increase in sales? Which of these two scenarios would have been preferable for Benetton? . Assume that total sales in 2004 remained unchanged at â‚ ¬1,686 million (as shown on pages 33 and 50); however, the Casual sector sales were â‚ ¬1,554 million, the Sportswear and Equipment sector sales were â‚ ¬45million, and the Manufacturing and Other sector sales were â‚ ¬87 million. What income from operations would Benetton have earned with this sales mix? (Hint: look at pages 36 and 37 of the annual report. ) Why is the income from operations under this scenario different from what is shown in the annual report?

Friday, November 8, 2019

Texas AM Galveston Admissions Information

Texas AM Galveston Admissions Information Texas AM University at Galveston is a branch campus of Texas AM University focused on marine and maritime studies. It is a selective school, admitting 55 percent of applicants. The 135-acre suburban campuss main location is on Pelican Island, along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The university is nearby several of Galveston’s popular beaches and is 50 miles northeast of Houston. It is also home to the Texas Maritime Academy, one of six American maritime academies that prepare future officers of the American Merchant Marines, Academically, Texas AM Galveston has a 15 to 1 student faculty ratio and offers ten undergraduate and three graduate degree programs within the field of marine and maritime studies. Marine biology and marine transportation are two of the most popular areas of study. Students are actively involved on campus, with 27 clubs and organizations and 13 professional organizations for students. The university has several men’s and women’s intramural sports teams and competes in varsity sailing and crew. Admissions Data (2015) Texas AM Galveston Acceptance Rate: 55 percentTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 500 / 590SAT Math: 520 / 610What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 22 / 26ACT English: 21 / 25ACT Math: 22 / 27What these ACT numbers mean Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 1,942 undergraduatesGender Breakdown: 61 percent male / 39 percent female92 percent full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $10,868 (in-state); $25,618 (out-of-state)Books: $1,054 (why so much?)Room and Board: $13,168Other Expenses: $2,596Total Cost (includes travel expenses): $30,696 (in-state); $46,336 (out-of-state) Texas AM University at Galveston Financial Aid More current data not available, but these figures are from 2011-12. Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 61 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 39 percentLoans: 42 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $6,096Loans: $6,434 Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 45 percentTransfer Out Rate: 57 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 19 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 30 percent Texas AM University at Galveston Mission Statement: mission statement from tamug.edu/about/ Texas AM University at Galveston is a special-purpose institution of higher education for undergraduate and graduate instruction in marine and maritime studies in science, engineering and business and for research and public service related to the general field of marine resources. The institution is under the management and control of the Board of Regents of The Texas AM University System, with degrees offered under the name and authority of Texas AM University at College Station. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Catholic Art verse Protestant Art essays

Catholic Art verse Protestant Art essays In this essay I am going to show the differences and similarities between Catholic and Protestant art works. I am first going to give a brief background into the history of the time. I am going to explain how the Protestant movement started and how it effected the art works of the relevant countries. I am going to show that the conflict between the two religions created war and social unrest between countries. I am then going to show the differences and similarities between the two. I will then use examples of art works from Vermeer, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Rubens to show the differences and similarities. At the beginning of the 16th Century, there was a group of people who broke away from the Catholic Church. They were led by Martin Luther, and the group which broke away was called the Protestants. The Protestant group challenged the workings of the Catholic Church - they believed that if a person wanted to speak to God, they did not have to go and speak to a priest, to have what they wanted said to God. The Protestants believed that the Catholic Church had been taking an unfair advantage of the people. The Catholic Church at this point in time was losing members to the Protestant movement. They were not pleased with this. They tried in all their power to get people back to the church. One of the main ways that they tried to get people back was through the art. They had work that was bold and striking, it caught the imagination of the viewer. It awed them, tried to get them to belong to the Catholic Church. During this time in history, the Kings and Queens of countries where very religious. They were either Catholic or Protestant in faith. In these specific countries the art work of the chosen faith was supported and even promoted. Hence, the Catholic faith was based around the countries of Spain and Italy. The Protestant faith was based around the Netherlands and Germany. Due to...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Emotional Intelligence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Emotional Intelligence - Term Paper Example d how a nurse leader or manager could apply both emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry strategies to address this issue and facilitate positive results that lead to improved quality. Appreciative inquiry is defined by Nel and Pretorius (2012) as "The study of what gives life to human systems when they function at their best" (p. 41). Nel and Pretorius (2012) further asserts that appreciative inquiry functions under the postulation that human beings posses exceptional and distinctive talents, abilities, and involvements. Therefore, there exist intact and unexploited strengths that have to be connected or intertwined in order to achieve change. In other words, appreciative inquiry involve investigations to identify the strengths of an entity by means of well calculated queries with an intention of achieving change. Emotional intelligence, as explicated by Sadri (2012), involves "perceiving emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought" (p. 536). It also involves controlling or managing feelings in order to support and encourage poignant and logical development (Sadri, 2012). Conflicts are inevitable in health care organizations. Health care organizations comprise of individuals from diverse backgrounds with divergent opinions regarding specific issues. Therefore, diversity contributes to these conflicts. Emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry can be used to prevent conflicts in health care organizations. During conflicts, nurses and other medical practitioners are likely to demonstrate emotions or sentiments. In other words, their responses in times of conflicts are based on their emotions. By using emotional intelligence, i can be able to comprehend nurses emotions and thus use the understanding to make decisions relating to conflict resolution. This is in view to the fact that people have divergent viewpoints and hence their emotions ought to be considered in conflict resolutions. This will result to a healthy dialogue that

Friday, November 1, 2019

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 11

Business - Essay Example As the Sjostrand and Tyrstrup (2001) reaffirm ‘leadership is all about managing creativity’. Thus, any new business needs to be conceptualized in terms of the changing paradigms of business environment. It is also important to identify factors and issues that would help meet the challenges with efficiency and unmatched proficiency. Hence, vision and mission of the business become intrinsic part of conceptualization of a business. Friendly Coffee Bar (FCB) would enter into this field with the express vision of being a one point service provider for quality coffee, prepared to satisfy the tastes of their customers ensuring adequate consideration to the environmental imperatives and social responsibilities. The mission statements of the Friendly Coffee Bar are designed to meet the needs and requirements of the customers through well planned strategy which would help fulfil the long term vision of the organization. Become the best service provider in the field of fresh coffee and deliver services in the hi-tech ambience providing relaxing environment with background music, television with headset, books and journal so that people can de-stress in comfort in short time. FCB would be a trendy, state of the art coffee shop that would provide quality and fresh coffee to its target customers. The outlet would also educate people about the qualities of the coffee from different laces and fine techniques of roasting coffee beans to generate the distinct aroma, thus establishing personal relationship with the customers. Special consideration would be paid to the needs and requirements of the customers. The formation of the shop would be a proprietorship enterprise under the service industry, specializing in soft drinks and beverages. Compliance under the state laws and local development agency would be followed, ensuring quality service at competitive prices. The fast changing socio economic