The Perception of Beauty

The Perception of Beauty Today the world we live in is very reliant on the media. The media contributes to us updates on our economy, news on events, the weather, and other important information. The media also dispenses influential images and messages. The media is so intertwined in our lives that we do no truly comprehend how much influence it really has on us. Some of the messages and images we receive from the media can be positive as well as negative.Most often than not, we are exposed to images that are so unrealistic and unattainable by the average person that we become discontent with our lives and with ourselves. This is when the media starts to distort our thoughts on the normal way of life and what true beauty is. The mainstream media’s perception of beauty is thin and glamorous. Most of the people displayed in the media have unrealistic body types. With the constant exhibit of these airbrushed to perfection bodies the audience becomes desensitized, especially the y outh, making people believe that it’s normal.This constant reminder can cause great guilt, making one think they are unattractive and below average. The negative body image being portrayed in the media is on display for everyone and it’s continuously being supported by the rest of the population. With this distorted perception of beauty many people have become unsatisfied with themselves. This persistent image of what you should look like can lead to poor physical and mental health.With people becoming insecure with their body image things like low self-esteem, depression, eating disorders, and even suicide can occur. In source 1 (Effects of the Media on Body Image), it states that the National Eating Disorder Association (2006) reports, â€Å"In the past 70 years national rates of all eating disorders have dramatically increased. † To some, being thin becomes everything. Deception of reality invades people’s lives and with media being just a turn or a cl ick away, the influence of the media starts at an early age.According to The Journal of Adolescent Health, â€Å"Teenagers that are overweight, or believe that they are overweight, appear to have a higher risk of suicide† (This information is stated in source 3: Teen Suicide Attempts Linked to Body weight and Body Image). Each year the models in the media are growing thinner and the advertisement of dieting and exercising is increasing. Beauty is being manipulated again and again. People’s physical and mental health is at serious risk and it’s time for a change.Perfection does not exist and for someone to try to attain such a thing is not healthy. The images in the media have profound effects on our lives and with that in mind, the media should rethink their perception of beauty. Just because someone is not stick thin doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful. Just because someone doesn’t look like the model on the cover of a magazine doesn’ t mean they’re not beautiful, and just because someone doesn’t acquire the characteristic of what the media insights as beautiful, doesn’t mean they’re not beautiful; it just means they are realistic.We continue to take a walk down a dangerous path in our culture. Not enough is being done to deter the false images that are being portrayed. The media’s perception of beauty is both unrealistic and harmful to one’s self. As a collective society, we need to accept our flaws. We need to accept people for how they look, stop trying to live up to an unrealistic image in the media, and just be ourselves. Why do we give the media the right to say what’s beautiful? Their exhibit of beauty is not real. It’s time for a change in media for the sake of society’s health.

Credit Agricole and BP

PARIS (AFP) – French bank Credit Agricole, one of the biggest European banks by capitalisation, reported a doubling of net profit to 1. 0 billion euros ($1. 42 billion) in the first quarter, on Friday. The price of shares in the bank showed a gain of 1. 40 percent to 11. 23 euros in a market up 0. 57 percent overall. The outcome, marking an increase of 112 percent from the result 12 months ago, was in line with average estimates of analysts as polled by Dow Jones Newswires. At CM-CIC Securities, analyst Pierre Chedeville commented: â€Å"The group is showing its main characteristics again: operating efficiency and an excellent control of charges, very cautious policy for provisioning, and financing and investment activities steady. † Bank chief executive Jean-Paul Chifflet said that Credit Agricole's direct exposure to Greek debt was 631 million euros at the end of March. Credit Agricole is one of the few foreign banks to control a Greek bank, in the form of Emporiki bank. Company History: France's â€Å"green bank† was nicknamed for its roots in agriculture. Credit Agricole, composed of the Caisse Nationale de Credit Agricole and 90 regional banks, which together own 90% of the Caisse Nationale, is a unique cooperative organization and one of the most important banking groups in France. In the mid-1800s, it became clear that there was a need for agricultural credit in France, especially after a crop failure in 1856, which left rural areas in dire straits. One of the main causes of low production was a lack of sufficient credit for farmers, who often could not meet banks' normal credit requirements. In 1861, the government attempted to remedy this problem, asking Credit Foncier to establish a department expressly for agriculture. But the newly formed Societe de Credit Agricole accomplished little. By 1866, though some steps towards improvement had been suggested, the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War prevented their implementation. The society folded in 1876. Later, several financial cooperatives sprang up independently among farmers, operating in rural towns on a system of mutual credit. In 1885, the first society for agricultural credit was founded at Salins-les-Bains in the Jura; the maximum amount of credit a farmer could get was FFr500, the price of a yoke of oxen. By the end of the century, when talk of modernizing France's agricultural economy became more urgent, it was decided that this system of localized credit was more suitable for the rural population than credit emanating from a big central bank. In 1894, the Chamber of Deputies proposed a law to organize personal or short-term rural credit, based on the methods of the small credit societies already in existence. The law formalized the requirements for the societies' formation, made them exempt from taxes, and gave them a monopoly on state-subsidized loans to farmers. In 1897, the Bank of France made funds available to the banks through the minister of agriculture, and in 1899, a law was passed to create regional banks to act as intermediaries between the local societies and the minister of agriculture. The local cooperatives were self-governing societies with limited liability. Their members were mostly individual farmers. Each local cooperative was affiliated with a regional bank, where it transferred all deposits and obtained funds for loans. The local banks elected a committee to control the regional banks, which were mainly responsible for medium- and long-term loans. Thus, the hierarchy of Credit Agricole was established. One of the reasons Credit Agricole was so successful was its reliance on individual farmers. In the mid-1800s most of France's agricultural produce came from small farms rather than large estates, and the French government wanted to preserve the small family farm for several social and economic reasons. For instance, it was widely believed that small farmers cultivated the soil most intensively and so made better use of it. It was also thought to be better to have many small family farms than to create a â€Å"proletariat† to work on large farms. Nevertheless, France's agricultural methods were in need of modernization, and Credit Agricole helped small farmers buy new equipment and supplies to improve production. In 1910, a law established long-term personal credit for the purchase of land to encourage young men to farm. Only small holdings could acquire these loans, which could not exceed $1,600, and only young farmers were eligible; their characters were the basis for their credit. When World War I broke out in 1914, the European banking system was under severe duress due to difficulties with the gold exchange. However, gold was still in circulation in France and the Bank of France was able to increase its issue of notes, restoring some financial order. Throughout the war, agricultural production was at a minimum, and Credit Agricole, still a young institution, was able to survive only through continued support from the government. Agricultural output did not regain its prewar level until 1930. In 1920, a law was passed to organize the office National du Credit Agricole, a national society run by civil servants and the elected representatives of the regional banks but controlled by the government–the minister of agriculture would name its director. Office National du Credit Agricole also became responsible for the distribution of treasury loan funds and for rediscounting the short-term loans of local and regional societies. In 1926, the name was changed to Caisse Nationale de Credit Agricole (CNCA). As Credit Agricole grew in resources and capacity, it began to help not only individual farmers but also the cooperative trade movement gaining ground among agricultural groups. These new agricultural cooperatives, which organized industries in a way similar to unions, could often not raise the money to organize, and they needed Credit Agricole's support. In turn, the cooperatives helped France's recovery after the war. World War II hurt agriculture less than the first war had, and after the war, there was a period of rapid growth, spurred on by Credit Agricole's loans. Between 1941 and 1945, under the Vichy government, a Bank Control Commission was established and attempts were made to prevent the creation of new banks or branches. After 1945, however, the Bank of France and the other main banks were nationalized. A hierarchy was born, with the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of France at the top, giving the government the ability to sway the distribution of credit. In this sense, it won even more power to help further Credit Agricole. After the war, agriculture underwent a massive modernization plan. Credit Agricole played a major part by supplying capital for fertilizer, equipment, electrification, and improved water supplies. Since agricultural credit was subsidized by the government, and due to the quality of Credit Agricole's decentralized commercial network, agricultural institutions had the most rapid expansion rate of all the banks. Between 1938 and 1946, the capital funds of the regional societies increased from FFr1. billion to FFr28 billion. Credit Agricole extended its medium- and long-term loan operations and the government established special loans for farm equipment, causing a big increase in the number of farmers driving tractors. Financing for small farms continued; as late as 1958, cooperatives were favored over large farms. But France's farm productivity was below that of most other European countries, and some blamed the low productivity partially on the credit advantages given to small farms, which kept competition at bay. Earnings did not improve and the industry remained dependent on loans. About this time, the government began to apply stringent lending ceilings to the whole financial system to restrain the money supply and hold down inflation. This led many banks to diversify into overseas business and the Eurodollar market. A boom in French exports also created a demand for French banking expertise in the export markets. Credit Agricole, however, held back at first from international expansion, while growing rapidly with the French economy. In 1966, the state decided to allow Credit Agricole to widen its operations to become more flexible than a bank strictly for farmers. Under the new reform, Credit Agricole was allowed to make loans to individuals and organizations not specifically connected with agriculture. It was also allowed to create subsidiaries. One of the most important subsidiaries it created was the Union d'Etudes et d'Investissements, which used its resources to finance individual investments. In 1967, the government announced that all resources collected by Credit Agricole's regional and local banks, previously deposited in the French Treasury, would now be deposited with the Caisse Nationale de Credit Agricole. In 1971, the Union d'Etudes et d'Investissements, with an eye on important developments in the food processing business, created another subsidiary, L'Union pour le Developpement Regional, which was mainly to provide loans to agricultural and food processing industries or other similar operations in regions where they would create jobs. In July of the next year, the minister of finance, Giscard d'Estaing, warned Credit Agricole about its diversification, pointing out that its purpose must stay mainly agricultural and its activities balance financial and social profit, a recurring political theme in Credit Agricole's development. Other large banks complained about Credit Agricole's monopoly on farm credit and its tax-free status, which had allowed it to grow into one of the largest banks in France, while those concerned about farm aid worried that the bank's purpose would be diffused. Critics blamed Credit Agricole's expansion on the other banks' inertia and politicians' reluctance to attack Credit Agricole for fear of losing the support of farmers. By 1975, Credit Agricole had begun its international activities, focusing mainly on foreign agricultural loans and export companies. In 1977, when the U. S. dollar was low, Credit Agricole ranked briefly as the biggest bank in the world. In 1978, Credit Agricole's profit of FFr400 million was more than the other three main French banks combined. The bank had begun to finance housing (it is now the leading mortgage lender in France), silo construction, and exports, and had also become a money market lender. After other French banks campaigned for several months against Credit Agricole's advantages, the government finally curtailed those privileges. Credit Agricole's surpluses began to be taxed as profits, and for three years, the bank was prohibited from opening new branches in towns where it had no official purpose and competed unfairly with other banks. The compensation the government offered may have added more to Credit Agricole's growth than the privileges that were taken away. Before the new rules, the bank could only make direct loans in communities of 7,500 people or fewer, but under the new restrictions that limit was extended to 12,000. Credit Agricole continued to push forward with international expansion. In 1979, it opened its first international branch, in Chicago; London soon followed, and a New York City branch opened in 1984. By then, Credit Agricole was also extremely active in funding development in rural areas for roads, telephones, and airports, and the government was encouraging the bank to help out small industry. By 1981. Credit Agricole had several strong subsidiaries: Segespar, which headed the investment-and-deposit service group; Voyage Conseil, a French travel agency; Eurocard France, a payment-card company; Soravie, an insurance company for sales in local branches; Unimat (now Ucabail) and Unicomi, which financed equipment and industrial and commercial building; Unicredit, which provided loans for businesses; and Union d'Etudes et d'Investissements, now heavily involved with rural development. In January, 1981, Credit Agricole's charter was changed again to allow the bank to provide loans to companies with fewer than 100 employees, whether or not they were connected with agriculture. The government also eased its credit limits for farmers and stockbreeders, and Credit Agricole was no longer limited to lending in towns with fewer than 12,000 inhabitants. However, this wider range was balanced by new limits. Credit Agricole's tax bill was put in line with those of other corporations, at 50% of its profits. In addition, some of the bank's earlier surplus earnings had to be channeled back into the government's loan subsidies. In May, 1981, the Socialists won the national election. Soon all major French banks that weren't already nationalized became state controlled, and over the next few years, the government imposed a domestic policy of economic austerity in an attempt to reduce inflation, renew industry, and balance its foreign trade account. The next year, Credit Agricole's foreign assets rose by almost 60%. By 1982, only one-third of its funds went to agriculture. Credit Agricole had already acquired significant experience in the euroloan market, and at the beginning of 1983, it ranked among the most prominent banks in Europe in this area. By 1984, Credit Agricole had opened foreign branches in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Some Credit Agricole members were upset by the bank's strengthening international force. In 1984 an official of a farmer's union told Business Week that â€Å"given the dramatic situation of hundreds of thousands of farmers, Credit Agricole has better things to do in France. † Nonetheless, Credit Agricole management insisted that international business could only strengthen the company's ability to help farmers in France. In 1985, Credit Agricole established a subsidiary called Predica to enter the life insurance market. Capitalizing on Credit Agricole's extensive branch network, Predica had become the second-largest life insurer in France by 1988. As the French economy improved, the government began to ease regulations and remove limitations on capital markets. In 1986, a new conservative government came into power, and several Socialist officials were replaced almost immediately, including Jean Paul Huchon, Credit Agricole's general director. A plan to remove CNCA from state control had been brewing for some time; many other banks were in the process of becoming denationalized. Huchon had opposed this plan for Credit Agricole vehemently enough to cause his dismissal. His successor was Bernard Auberger, a former director of Societe Generale with ties to the Gaullist Party, which had campaigned to rid CNCA of state control. The new government also created easier bourse membership rules that allowed outside interests to buy into investment brokers. Following the trend of many banks after this deregulation, in 1988 Credit Agricole purchased controlling stakes in two Paris stockbrokers, Bertrand Michel and Yves Soulie. Finally, in 1987, the government began to take steps towards freeing CNCA from state control. On February 1, 1988, the state sold 90% of CNCA's common stock to its regional banks and the company was incorporated with FFr4. 5 billion in capital stock. Most of the rest of its stock went to employees, and the government holds a small stake. Soon after the mutualization, the newly private Credit Agricole began merging the Caisses Regionales to eliminate redundancies. By January, 1990 the number of district banks had been reduced from 94 to 90 and this number is expected to shrink substantially before the rationalization is over. The transition to private ownership was not completely smooth, though. A boardroom struggle in 1988 led to the exit of Bernard Auberger. Philippe Jaffre, who was the finance ministry's representative on CNCA's board of directors, was Auberger's surprise replacement. In 1989 Credit Agricole ceased to have a monopoly on the shrinking number of subsidized loans to farmers. In losing this monopoly, Credit Agricole lost an important, captive customer group. The bank should be able to compensate for this loss, however, with the new business it expects to pick up as a result of the lifting of restrictions on its business. When Credit Agricole lost its monopoly on subsidized farm loans, it was also freed of the unusual government restrictions on its business. Now Credit Agricole operates in much the same way as any other French bank, and it expects its business to improve rather than suffer as a result of this status. Under Jaffre, Credit Agricole, like all European enterprises, faces the challenges that the 1992 unification of the European Economic Community will bring. The bank has already made a successful transition from a purely agricultural bank into a full-service bank. Privatization should give Credit Agricole the freedom and flexibility it will need to face these challenges, but it will have to struggle with its slightly awkward structure–the 90 regional banks that control parent CNCA diffuse central decision-making power–and tackle operating costs that are much higher than its competitors'. If it can surmount those obstacles and capitalize on its tremendous domestic branch network, Credit Agricole will be an even more formidable European competitor than it already is. Principal Subsidiaries: Union d'Etudes et d'Investissements; Unicredit (98. %); Sopagri (52. 8%); Unimmo France (99. 6%); Unidev; Sofipar (52. 6%); Ucabail; Segespar; Segespar-Titres (50%); Predica (48%); Unibanque; Sogequip; Cedicam (50%). Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 2. St. James Press, 1990. Credit Agricole in management reshuffle Kit Chellel 01 Dec 2010 The chief executive of Credit Agricole corporate and investment bank has been repla ced after two years in the job as part of sweeping management changes across the French bank under the direction of new group chief executive Jean-Paul Chifflet. Patrick Valroff, aged 62, will stand down to make way for Jean-Yves Hocher, who will also continue in his current role as deputy chief executive of the group. The board of Credit Agricole held a meetings on yesterday and today before announcing a series of management changes. Jean-Paul Chifflet was appointed chief executive in March and has indicated that he intends to overhaul the group’s strategy. The new 10-year strategic plan will be released later this month. Within Credit Agricole's corporate and investment banking unit, a new xecutive structure sees deputy chief executive Pierre Cambefort taking over responsibility for coverage, investment and corporate banking and the international network, while head of risk Francis Canterini has been appointed deputy chief executive in charge of support functions. Elsewhere, Alain Massiera, the deputy chief executive of Credit Agricole CIB has been appointed as head of the private banking business. It is understood that Valroff was b rought in at the height of the financial crisis refocus the business, a role which he has completed successfully following three successive quarters of profits. A spokesperson confirmed he would remain at the bank in another capacity. In August, Credit Agricole recorded an 89% rise in profits to â‚ ¬379m following strong performance in its corporate and insurance divisions. Other management changes unveiled today include the appointments of Yves Nanquette as chief executive of Credit Agricole LCL (retail) replacing Christian Duvillet, and Jerome Grivet as chief executive of the bank’s assurance arm replacing Bernard Michel. Thierry Langreney took over as chief executive of the Pacifica insurance division from Patrick Duplan. All three outgoing chief executives have retired.

The AIDS Chronicles Here to Represent Movie Review

The AIDS Chronicles Here to Represent - Movie Review Example The major threat that AIDS poses is that of the isolation that is faced by those who are HIV positive. The stigma that is associated with the disease is sometimes compounded by the edicts that are a part of religion that only makes the lives of those that are affected miserable. This leads to a fear among those who are affected. The fear in turn, leads to a certain amount of reluctance on the part of the affected and their families to talk about it. This in turn, leads one to analyse the need for awareness among common people. Very few among the communities that are affected in a major way are aware of the pitfalls that are associated with substance abuse and unsafe sex. These lead to unhealthy and reckless practices during periods of people’s lives when they are unable to take decisions that are sound. Unfortunately, these decisions threaten the health of the person till a very long time and the threat of poor health that AIDS once posed is still very much there. The need for medication is often not addressed. Even people who are aware do not take proper care because of the fact that specialized medical care is not ubiquitous. Deepening the financial divides in the community is another problem that is caused by AIDS. The financial problems that are faced by poor African Americans are compounded by the problems that they face due to AIDS. Poor financial conditions are almost always synonymous with lesser awareness as is seen from the large number of infections among African Americans. The threat that this poses to the integrity of the nation cannot be ignored. There are many ways in which education can be provided to vulnerable sections of the society, making them aware of the problems that are associated with AIDS. This is important since it would be important not only for people who are affected but also for those who aren’t. This would not only reduce the risk of infections but also enable the

The contemporary Legal landscape in the IT industry Essay

The contemporary Legal landscape in the IT industry - Essay Example For example, use of home made applications mobile applications is not clearly defined thus it’s a challenge. The contemporary ethical environment in the IT industry The main normative approaches to ethics – compare and contrast the main approaches that we have looked at virtue, consequentialist and deontological According to the BCS code of conduct, a professional should be conversant with the ethical issues and the legislations governing their profession. They must observe ethical the codes of conduct to be able to remain morally right. This is deontological ethics. Contemporary ethical dilemmas – how are recent developments in IT creating challenges for ethical behaviour? Can IT be used to make people and or organisation behaviour more ethical? If possible give some specific real-world examples taken from the guest speakers or your reading. The growth of IT has posed serious challenges to the ethical values in the society. The development in IT has brought about several lee ways for breaching ethical codes of conduct. Through development of software with unethical contents. For instance, the development of YouTube made it easy to access pornographic videos. YouTube does not as for age or require any authorization before you are allowed to watch a video(Gattiker, 2004). This makes it easy for even people below adulthood to view the contents that are not in compliance with ethical issues. However, IT can also be used to enhance ethics in our society. This is possible through creation of software that requires authentication and authorisation before someone is allowed to access an application. These applications can be embedded in both commercial and open source applications so that whenever someone uses, the ethical codes are taken into account. Technical aspects of security entail the security management. These are the parties that stand for the daily operation of IT

Is graffiti a valid art form Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Is graffiti a valid art form - Essay Example Scholars in this field argue that graffiti could be accepted as an art if it is put in the following forms. These forms include subway art, spray-can art and graffiti art. The aspect of unconventional presentation contributes to the idea of graffiti being recognised as an art because the above forms constitute properties that bring out the visual content of the imagination. For an individual to prove this, he or she has to consider a historical graffiti material to illustrate to his or her audience that graffiti is truly an art. As an art, graffiti as seen from the ancient were uncovered monuments from Egypt. In addition, it is an italic word that means drawing, scribbling and markings, thus an indication that it existed in the ancient times where people practiced wall writing. The ancient graffiti was transferred to the current graffiti making it to be referred to as â€Å"New York Style† due to its invention in New York (Chalfant and Prigoff 38). There are a number of reasons why graffiti’s art value is different from oil on canvas painting. The first reason is the fame that a graffitist gets from his or her artistic talent. It is easy for a graffitist to get be recognized because of his or her artistic talent more than an artist who considers oil on canvas painting (Spitz 27). Secondly, graffiti provides room for a person to express him or herself to the world more than the oil on canvas painting. Writing as an art enables a graffitist to communicate his or her identity and ideas to the general public. It is, therefore, important for graffitist to note that judgments for their imagination can only be made by the public basing on their artistic skills which must be translated creatively. Lastly, graffiti allows artists to work together unlike the oil on canvas painting that requires one artist to complete the assigned task. Team building for graffitist

The american revolution had commenced long before the war of Essay

The american revolution had commenced long before the war of independence. it was a change in the hearts and minds of the people. is this a fair statement - Essay Example commenced long before the war of independence†, and that â€Å"it was a change in the hearts and minds of the people† (John Adams 1818 in Mark 2006 p. 96). The Americans expressed their discontentment through circulation of pamphlets, letters, and newspapers amongst other painted material that developed passion in the minds of the Americans towards securing their lost freedom and glory of their country. The information conveyed through these materials was meaningful in linking the thirteen colonies which had all along been separated by physical, cultural, political and socio-economic factors. This was after the realization that Americans could not get their freedom unless the three colonies united with one voice. Their unity was enhanced by the common independent ideas of the Americans. Even to day, they are known to advocate for freedom amongst the peoples of the world, which is evidenced by the manner in which the country set out to free several countries under colonial rule in the late 19th century, such as Cuba, Philippines and many other islands that were under the Spanish rule (Richard 1978 p 78). The religious attitude of the people in regard to their responsibilities had changed before the war. This had been as a result of the fact that the faith that the people had in the king was diminishing after the Americans realized that his rule was not following the doctrines of the authority that had been conferred to him by God through the laws as well as the constitution. He was initially believed to rule with mercy and impartiality over. With this understanding, Carol (2006 p. 81) states that â€Å"the Americans had felt obligated to pray for the king and queen and all the royal family, and all in authority under them†. This is because they were believed to have been predestined for their wellbeing as well as the good of their country by God. Instead, the people realized that their lives, freedom and their possessions were not secure with the king’s rule.

Discuss teaching strategies that enhance pupils' writing ability with Essay

Discuss teaching strategies that enhance pupils' writing ability with particular reference to improving boys' writing skills. Focus on at least two different genres of writing in your answer - Essay Example Though in general, both the gender find writing challenging, the differences in learning styles, and attitude to literacy, and cognitive abilities make teacher’s work challenging in the classroom to ensure delivery of equitable education. This paper gives an overview of the general difficulties faced by literacy pupils and moves on to have a closer look at boys and literacy, with specific reference to their writing skills. It also strives to suggest teaching strategies, learning resources and activities to enhance writing skills of boys in literacy classroom. National Literacy Trust (2009) says that â€Å"national tests have indicated that writing scores lag behind reading generally†. Teaching language involves four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, of which writing is of the highest difficulty level and comes at the end. This partly explains the challenge faced by pupils in any literacy classroom. Writing is a complex skill that involves critical operation of the thinking abilities that works hand in hand with the knowledge of language structure, vocabulary, syntax and grammar. It is obviously challenging to learn this complex skill of writing. Literacy and language teachers adopt various teaching methodologies and classroom techniques to develop writing skill in their students. Different tools like journals, notebooks, and group sharing strategies are widely used in the classrooms. Equal importance is also given to pre-writing tasks as much as that is given to the actual writing itself. Beyond this, revision also is insisted. In general, there are a few apparent reasons for writing being one of the challenging skills to learn. Firstly, it is a complex activity that requires the use and coordination of multiple faculties like cognitive and linguistic abilities. Also, genre-specific conventions are to be adhered to and require knowledge of the

Personal and professional growth statement with goals Research Paper

Personal and professional growth statement with goals - Research Paper Example Sub-consciously, learners teach more to their teachers than they can fathom. Another belief that I came to view as superstitious is the belief that education was designed solely for equipping an individual with intelligence. Unfortunately, this is the same thought that most people have and the truth of the matter is that this is a misguided point of view. One of the major objectives of education is to help a learner or a child realize the inborn capabilities and talents and the potential that they possess (Gardner 34). If articulated in the right manner, education will help the learner to be able to develop and nurture problem solving skills on a personal level. These are the two major realizations that have helped me grow as a person and as a future professional educator; the second being the most impactful. As discussed, the first realization that has had an impact on my way of thinking is the fact that learning is an interactive process in totality. As a classroom based educator, my number one objective should be to create a conducive classroom climate. A conducive classroom climate is one that encourages the participation of all the students in class. For example, group discussions is one of the ways that can promote a conducive classroom climate. ... School climate is based on the experiences that one gets from school life and reflects the norms, goals values, inter-personnel relationships, teaching, learning and leadership practices. As an elementary educator, my goal is to help create and develop a school climate that produces a holistic student (Hinman, 96). My second realization has helped me understand the importance of education in helping an individual to realize their in-born capabilities and talents. Through the theory of multiple intelligences, Howard Gardner explains that there are nine multiple intelligences that are present in humans (41) . These intelligences are in-built and the role of education is to nurture them to perfection for the attainment of their full potential. Linguistic intelligence is the first kind of intelligence that Gardner highlights. This is the ability of an individual to use language to express their thoughts. Most elementary students are very vibrant and proactive in speech. It is however not easy for a child to express their thoughts in a direct manner. If a child shows signs of linguistic intelligence, it is up to me as an elementary teacher to teach them how to nurture this talent and help them in development of their career. It is essential to help children grow in their linguistic intelligence because language is the most common and most accepted form of communication in the world. Another form of intelligence is logical thinking. It can also be referred to as mathematical thinking. Some children have the capabilities to understand the underlying principle of a casual system and can be able to manipulate numbers (Adsit, 67). When I become a professional educator, I will be teaching such kind of children how to use their capabilities to come up with inventions among other

Political Science Questions and Answers Assignment

Political Science Questions and Answers - Assignment Example Using the concepts of competition and socialization to anchor your analysis, explain what Waltz means when he writes that a structure â€Å"may designate a compensating device that works to produce a uniformity of outcomes despite the variety of inputs.† The implication by Waltz is that structure within the global system always focuses on maintaining their outcomes within constricted margins no matter the inputs to them. This is possible due to socialization factors and competition. Socialization results from differences in societies that arise from informal and impulsive techniques applied in the definition of conduct norms. Consequently, the resulting norms control the group members and this discharges diversity and heartens homogeneity. Conversely, competition defines organization where the outcomes facilitate the selection of behavior, where the least successful conducts leave the global system and the triumphant institutes set the pace imitated by others. Q.3. what are th e core assumptions of realism, according to Gilpin? How and WHY do Mearshimer’s assumptions differ? Guzzini reveals Gilpin’s five assumptions: the global system is stable provided no nations attempt changing it; states challenge the system where the benefits arising outdo the expenses incurred; nations seek to system change through economic, politica, and territorial growth up to the point of equilibrium or excess on marginal costs of continued change compared to marginal benefits; the attainment of equilibrium between benefits and costs resulting from additional change and growth causes faster increment in econiomic cost to sustain the status compared to the financial ability to support th status; and failure to resolve unequity causes system changes settles for a novel equity reflection .While Gilpin’s assumptions focus on the system systematic, and interaction changes within the global system, Mearshimer’s assumptions focus on factors contributing to the endless competition for security amongst nations. Additionally, Mearsheimer argues that given that power ful states operate anarchic environment, they feat and distrust each other leaving each to worry about the objectives of the other on security. Q4. Compare how Lebow and Waltz explain the nature of order and its relevance to the behavior of states on the world stage

Plantation Crops and the Slavery System Essay Example for Free

Plantation Crops and the Slavery System Essay Plantation crops and the slavery system changed between 1800 and 1860 because of the industrial revolution. After the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, the Southern states were granted freedom to decide about the legality of slavery. At this point in time, the cotton production was very low and there were around 700,000 slaves in the whole country. Cotton changed the course of the American economic and racial future, because of the mass production of textiles. The cotton quantities increased considerably. The South was producing and exporting over sixty- seven percent of the world’s cotton by 1840 which gave the region strong economic power. As the cotton production continued to grow it required more manpower or slaves. The supply of slaves needed for growing of such production was restricted, making slaves more valuable resulting in the domestic slave trade. The domestic slave trade emerged as a crucial commercial enterprise during the 1800 and 1860, which resulted in white planters looking for new slaves in the upper South states. (Henretta, Edwards, and Self 2012, 352-359) â€Å"For white planters, the interstate trade in slaves was lucrative; it pumped money into the declining Chesapeake economy and provided young workers for the expanding plantations of the cotton belt. For blacks, it was a traumatic journey, a new Middle Passage that broke up their families and communities. â€Å"Arise, Arise and weep no more, dry up your tears; we shall part no more,† the slaves sing hopefully as they journey to new lives in Tennessee.† (Henretta, Edwards, and Self 2012, 358) The domestic slave trade emerged as a crucial commercial enterprise operating through a coastal and inland. The coastal system sent slaves to the sugar plantations in Louisiana and the inland to cotton plantations. The domestic slave trade was crucial for the prosperity of the southern economy. It was an important resource to raise money and help support the economy of the Upper South. (Henretta, Edwards, and Self 2012, 352-359) References Henretta, J. A., Edwards, R., Self, R. O. (2012). America: A Concise History, Volume One: To 1877, 5th Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins.

Understanding and Promoting Children’s Development

Understanding and Promoting Children’s Development Sonja Eagle Here is a list of activities and the areas of children’s development involved: Climbing the ladder of a slide – Locomotive Skills- requires full body movements balancing on the ladder and at the top of the slide Gross motor skills- climbing Cognitive skills- how to climb the ladder Playing football in a team – Gross Motor Skills large limb movements. Cognitive skills – memory, problem solving and imagination e.g. playing the game, planning next move Moral development- choices and decisions (thinking of others and playing fairly) being a team player. Locomotive skills- walking, running Communication development- gestures, body language and communication Social and emotional development- acceptable behaviour Using a pencil to write their name and draw a picture- Fine Motor Skills – smaller more precise movements Cognitive development- memory, problem solving. Putting the pencil in the correct hand and knowing how to hold it. Using a knife and fork to eat a meal- Social and Emotional Development- social skills Fine motor skills – holding the fork and knife correctly Communication development- gestures, body language Cognitive skills- memory, problem solving e.g. putting the fork and knife in the correct hand. Expected Stages of Development Age Physical Development Cognitive Development Communication Development Social and Emotional Development Moral Development 0-6 months Simple movements waving arms and legs and rolls side to side and able to control head to follow people and objects. Language skills start to develop baby will begin to ‘babble’ which in fact is their new ability to listen, understand and recognize the names of people and the things around her. Pays more attention to human sounds than any other sounds. Babies will be laughing out loud anytime from two to four months and will giggle and kick her legs when being played with by four months. n/a 6-12 months Places objects into and out of containers Simple responses e.g. to sound, smell movement. Responds to own name. Becomes interested in mirror images. n/a 12-18 months Uses thumb and fore finger to explore objects, turns knobs and dials etc. Enjoys games such as peek -a-boo. Gets excited when sees a familiar face. Begins to show defiant behaviour. n/a 2-3 years Can make own vertical and horizontal and circular strokes with a pen or crayon. Able to match colours, some shapes and pictures. Uses pronounces, I, you ,me etc. Can take turns in games. Testing the boundaries. 3-5 years Becomes primarily left handed or right handed. Enjoys imaginative, co-operative and creative play. Able to follow instructions with more at least two elements. Understands the concept of same and difference. Capable of dressing and undressing themselves. They still expect adults to take charge, but instead of trying to avoid punishment, they follow rules because they want to be viewed as good. 5-7 years Copies triangles, squares and geometric patterns. Has opinions and can see others viewpoints. Speaks in complex sentences. Sometimes demanding and sometimes eagerly cooperative. Children can also feel bad when they are punished, because they can feel that they have upset someone else. This is because her morality is becoming empathy. 7-9 years Able to run and change direction accurately. Experimentation and creative activity. Vocabulary extends from 4000 to 10,000 words. Has needs for possessions and can be possessive. Children of this age have a strong sense of what they should do and what they should not do. 9-11 Years Improving bat and ball skills. Conversations develop, can express views and share ideas. Able to use more complex writing skills, longer sentences with adjectives, punctuation and conveying ideas with clarity. Greater awareness of others, feelings, needs, rights etc. Understand and value fairness, and perceive morality as a social contract in which rules must be obeyed in order to be liked. 11-13 years Facial hair, musculature, etc. and continued loss of milk teeth. Able to concentrate for extended periods of time and dislikes interruptions. Able to adapt language for different occasions, informal and formal. Developing strong opinions or beliefs which may lead to conflicts and arguments, may take longer to forgive and forget. Tries to weigh alternatives and arrive at decisions alone. 13-19 years Faster running and other physical movements such as, swimming ,diving, balancing etc. Develops specific interests and has competitive traits so enjoys showing off developed skills and abilities. Appreciates more sophisticated humour and wordplay. Clearer sense of cause and consequences of own actions. Greater awareness of complex issues that affect others e.g. religion, politics. Understands about rights and wrongs and consequences of actions. Experiences feelings of frustration, anger, sorrow, and isolation. A good overview of the expected patterns of development at different ages. Influences on Development How does foetal alcohol syndrome develop during pregnancy? Foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is caused when a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy. The alcohol can cause birth and developmental defects to the baby. Alcohol can cross from the mothers blood to the babys blood by the placenta. Even a small amount of alcohol can damage the foetus. It is not known how much alcohol it takes to cause defects. The risk increases with moderate to heavy drinking, even social drinking may pose a danger. Any type of alcohol, including beer and wine, can cause birth defects. What are the signs and symptoms of foetal alcohol syndrome? The signs of foetal alcohol syndrome may include: Distinctive facial features, including small eyes, an exceptionally thin upper lip, a short, upturned nose, and a smooth skin surface between the nose and upper lip Deformities of joints, limbs and fingers Slow physical growth before and after birth Vision difficulties or hearing problems Small head circumference and brain size Poor coordination Mental retardation and delayed development Learning disorders Abnormal behaviour, such as a short attention span, hyperactivity, poor impulse control, extreme nervousness and anxiety Heart defects The classic symptoms of coeliac disease in children include: Failure to thrive Diarrhoea Muscle wasting Poor appetite Abdominal distension Lethargy Change of mood and emotional distress. Sickle cell disease includes: Fatigue Anaemia Swelling and inflammation of the joints Sickling crisis – leads to blood blockage in the spleen or liver. Sickle cell anaemia can also cause damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys and bones. Turner Syndrome occurs more often in girls, including kidney problems, high blood pressure, heart problems, overweight, hearing difficulties, diabetes, and thyroid problems. Some girls with the condition may experience learning difficulties, particularly in maths. Many have difficulty with tasks that require skills such as map reading or visual organization. short stature and lack of sexual development a webbed neck (extra folds of skin extending from the tops of the shoulders to the sides of the neck) a low hairline at the back of the neck drooping of the eyelids differently shaped ears that are set lower on the sides of the head than usual abnormal bone development (especially the bones of the hands and elbows) a larger than usual number of moles on the skin Edema or extra fluid in the hands and feet. Lack of vitamin/mineral Condition it may cause Signs and symptoms Vitamin B-1 Alcoholism Alzheimer’s disease Crohn’s disease Congestive heart failure Depression Epilepsy Fibromyalgia HIV/AIDS Korsakoff’s psychosis Multiple sclerosis Wernicke’s encephalopathy Loss of appetite Pins and needles sensations Feeling of numbness, especially in the legs Muscle tenderness, particularly in the calf muscles Depression Vitamin B-12 Reduced amount of oxygen in the body. Common symptoms include tiredness, lethargy, feeling faint, becoming breathless. Less common symptoms include headaches, a thumping heart (palpitations), altered taste, loss of appetite, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus). You may look pale. Vitamin C Crohn’s disease. Gingivitis Anaemia Bleeding gums Decreased ability to fight infection Decreased wound-healing rate Dry and splitting hair Easy bruising Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) Nosebleeds Possible weight gain because of slowed metabolism Rough, dry, scaly skin Swollen and painful joints Weakened tooth enamel Vitamin D Rickets. Cancer Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Cognitive impairment in older adults. Severe asthma in children. Vitamin K blood clotting Blood clotting, which means it helps wounds heal properly. Calcium Osteoporosis Hypocalcaemia Rickets Easy bruising, where the skin is thin. Lack of blood clotting may lead to a haemorrhage in an organ of the body which can be fatal in areas like the brain. Weakness of bones/brittle. Potassium Muscle cramps in arms and legs Constipation Muscle weakness Dehydration Fatigue Frequent urination Nausea Vomiting Fainting Magnesium Weakness Tiredness loss of appetite Numbness Tingling Muscle cramps seizures abnormal heart rhythms Sodium seizures muscle fatigue muscle weakness spasms/cramps of muscles Iron Anaemic Tiredness Frequent infections Frequent colds Pale, sickly Tiredness Inability to concentrate Poor achievements in sports Personal factors are within the child such as, their personality, their health and wellbeing, medical needs, learning difficulties, speech and language, sensory impairment, disability etc. Having a disability could affect their development as they may have low self-esteem, may be isolated and have difficultly socialising with others. External factors can have a huge influence on a child’s life; the main contributor to this would be poverty and deprivation, which can limit their social status with friends. An example of this may be no mobile phone or computer to keep in touch with friends out of school. Lack of funds at home could have a huge impact on transport and educational resources, which could mean that the child is delayed in academic achievement. There are a range of external factors these can include a lack of parental skills thus leading to abuse, neglect, and undernourishment. This would impact the child’s development as they do not have the guidance and support of the parent regarding progress through education. A Loss of a parent through divorce, separation and death can lead to a lack of basic nurture, because of depression or grief ruling their family life, due to little family support. The child would not have a strong support network which would hold back their development in education. Children develop at different rates therefore, the sequence of development is more important than the age of development. For example, babbling their first words. Milestones are a rough guide of this, as all children differ in their rates of development e.g. different children will progress at different rates, such as the reading ability in children, this may be different from the expectations of adults. Another example would be that puberty can differ from the age of nine to sixteen years in girls. We need to be aware that there are factors that influence these developmental stages and know how to address their impact. Parents and professionals e.g. health visitors, teachers and support staff etc. Play a key role in providing environments that encourage development, they also help to make the child feel confident and help boost their self-esteem throughout each stage in their development. The rate of development is the speed at which a child attains a particular development aspect. The length of time a child remains at a phase of development might be influenced by the difficulties they face. For example, a child with speech and language difficulties may remain at the stage of speaking in simple phrases. We cannot expect all children to develop at the same rate, we need to be aware that there are factors that influence these developmental stages and know how to address the impact. A key factor is working at an appropriate pace when supporting development. For example, a selective mute means that the child will be delayed in the comprehension of speech and language. Another example would be that a neglected child would have low communication ability and hold back. Children with a learning or physical disability may be exposed to prejudice or discrimination at school because they may be treated differently than the rest of the children. They may be bullied or teased by other students which will affect their self-confidence and in turn affect their learning ability and development. Disabilities are categorised in different forms i.e. learning or physical. Early Intervention is important for children in the long term, so that any delays in development are identified as soon as possible and support can be put in place. Good. Having a Key Worker working closely with the child, means they can identify the child’s needs and can highlight any delays or difficulties within a particular area of their development. Speech, language and communication delays are a good example for this as, this could result in the child being a social recluse and unable to engage with their peers. An example of this is Selective mute, a lack of confidence and less able to manage their thoughts could lead to them experiencing emotional problems. Behavioural issues caused by the inability to communicate could lead to frustration and aggression. Good point. For example; the child will find it hard to form a relationship with other children. A delay to literacy acquisition would lead to poor recognition of vocabulary and production of sounds. This would cause a delay in their development and make it more difficult to keep up with their peers. To identify specialist advice and involvement of parents/carers is paramount so that a structured programme of intervention (e.g. IEP) is put in place as soon as possible, so that all agencies can work together and give appropriate support as early as possible. References Drinkaware.co.uk. (2013). Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Available: http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/fertility-and-pregnancy/foetal-alcohol-syndrome. Last accessed 26/01/2014. Parent further. (2013). Ages 6-9: Emotional Development . Available: http://www.parentfurther.com/ages-stages/6-9/emotional-development. Last accessed 26/01/2014. DR Richard Draper. (2012). Turner syndrome. Available: http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Turners-Syndrome.htm. Last accessed 26/01/2014. NHS. (2012). Vitamins and minerals. Available: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/vitamins-minerals.aspx. Last accessed 26/01/2014. Parenting counts. (2014). Developmental timeline. Available: http://www.parentingcounts.org/information/timeline/. Last accessed 26/01/2014.

Sustainable Development Essay -- essays research papers

Sustainable Development By the year 2200 there will be a lot more people living on this planet then there are now. Estimates range anywhere from 15 to 36 billion people. Where will these people live? How will they live? The answer is sustainable development. Sustainable development, "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. " It also, "requires meeting the basic needs of all peoples and extending to them the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations for a better life. A world in which poverty is endemic will always be prone to ecological and other catastrophes." Sustainable development is being ignored in Chile, the Philippines, and Siberia, practiced in Madagascar and in Alaska, and examined in the Lake Baikal region of Russia. These Countries must learn from each other's failures and success to discover what sustainable development involves in their own country. Sustainable development has three divisions, economic, environmental, and social. If sustainability is to occur it must, meet these three divisions. In Chile, none of these divisions is being met. Economically speaking, almost 40% of the population is poor and as a result many make a living directly from the land clearing forests. In the IVth region of Chile, forest regions are being depleted at an amazing rate. This depletion of the forest in this region results in two main things, one, people must spend increasing amounts of energy traveling to the site of present cutting and two, the removal of the trees over time has lead to soil erosion and rapid desertification of the area. This soil erosion also removes many nutrients from the soil making the land poor for agriculture. The third division, social, is not met here either. The lack of organizations to relieve the negative effects of poverty on the environment have only contributed to the problem. In the Philippines the environmental degradation is similar in nature but more catastrophic in result. There in the province of Leyte 6000 people were killed when flash flood ripped through Ormoc City in 1991. The floods were a result of logging of a forest in that region and conversion of that area into commercial farming practices such as sugarcane. This in itself did not... ...lace on earth it was necessary to account for all three area's of sustainability. This was accomplished by zoning the entire Lake Baikal watershed into 25 different types of zones ranging from farmland to industrial parks. A total of 52 million acres were set aside as parks, reserves, greenbelts, and landscapes. As well as zoning the entire basin, an agreement was struck to reduce and hopefully end the pollution that enters Lake Baikal's watershed. In this way, not only was the environment saved, but so were peoples jobs and thus the social and economic well-being. The Lake Baikal zoning method is an example of how new methods of sustainable development are always being created. Countries like Chile, the Philippines, and Zimbabwe all can learn a lot from examples such as Madagascar, the United States, and the zoning method in Russia. In fact all countries can learn a lot from the success and failures of each other. In every successful case of sustainable development the three aspects were met, economical, environmental, and social. In every failure at least one or more was missing. The lessons learned now can only help us as we enter the next millennia, and over 15 billion people.

Homophobia :: Gay Lesbian Bisexual Prejudice

Homophobia refers to a prejudicial belief that gay, lesbian, and bisexual people are threatening. They see them as sick, unnatural, immoral, or disgusting people that are inferior to heterosexuals and they deserve to be hated. Homophobia tends to occur on several distinct but joined levels. These levels are personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural. One of the main reasons why people tend to be prejudice against gay, lesbian, and bisexual are based on inaccurate stereotypes and lack of information that is provided by society. Society portrays sexual minorities as sick, perverted, or nonexistent. There are quite a few people who are not aware that they may know healthy gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals. Many people, fearing they might be gay, lesbian, and bisexual, prefer to attack individual who are as a way of avoiding self-identification. People tend to link homosexuality and bisexuality with sexual behavior. Since we live in a culture that is reluctant to acknowledge any form of open sexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality is slowly becoming a problem. Our society is more accepting of the traditional male or female relationship. However, we fail to notice that people can lead successful and creative lives without having to fit a set pattern. People who feel uncomfortable or uncertain about their sexual orientation or relationships think that going against the norm can be disturbing and intimidating. My friends often ask me why am I friends with people who are gay I would in return ask them why wouldn’t they be friends with someone who is gay as a way of challenging their knowledge and beliefs. For example, when someone makes a statement against gays having the right to marry, I ask them why and how they think this could possibly hurt anyone. I ask whether they feel it is fair to tell that person that his or her dreams of romance and marriage to the person he or she loves is disgusting. Would they rather have that person put such thoughts out of their minds and plan to live a loveless and passionless life?

European History - The Renaissance in Italy :: European Europe History

The Renaissance in Italy The Italian Renaissance was called the beginning of the modern age. The word Renaissance itself is derived from the Latin word rinascere, which means to be reborn. Many dramatic changes occurred during this time in the fields of philosophy, art, politics, and literature. New emphasis was placed on enjoying life and the world around you. Talented individuals sought self-gratification through art, literature, and architecture, and their achievments would influence future generations for centuries to come. This great new movement was originated and centered in Italy, and without Italian contribution, would never have launched European society into the dawning of a new era. At the beginning of the Renaissance, Italy was divided into some 250 self- governing city-states, ranging from small towns of 2,000 individuals, to some of the largest cities in Europe of that time, such as Florence, Milan, and Venice, each with 100,000 citizens each. These city-states were loosely organized under the Pope, ruling out of Rome, although he had no real political control over the divided Italy. During the mid- 1300s and early 1400s, many large Italian cities came under the control of one family, such as the Visconti and later the Sforza families in Milan. The form of government established by the ruling families of the various Italian cities came to be known as signoria, with the chief official being called the signore. Soon , elaborate court systems, controlled by the ruling families, began to spring up in each city-state. At these courts, leading artists, intellectuals, and politicians gathered under the sponsorship of the signore and families. Other city states had a form of republicanism, such as Florence and Venice did. In these cities, a group of upper class families controlled the government, and often looked down upon the common residents of the town, considering them to be inferior. A Venetian observer wrote about Florence during this time: "They are never content with their constitution, they are never quiet, and it seems that this city always desires change of constitution as so the government changes every fifteen years"(Cole p.218) In Florence, which is perhaps considered the most important center of Renaissance learning in history, the Medici family dominated the ruling class. Under Medici domination, Florence became a signorial power and a cultural gem stone. It was during the reign of Lorenzo de' Medici , that many great painters, sculptors, and architects flocked to the Medici family looking for sponsorship, knowing that Lorenzo was a great supporter of the arts.

Compare And Contrast Sociology Essay Essay

Sociology is based on two frameworks, namely structure-agency and conflict-consensus. These frameworks center around three founders of sociology, Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx and Max Weber. This essay will attempt to demonstrate which author explains sociology within which framework. The structure used for this essay will be a point-by-point structure. This essay will start off with structure, move on to agency and then to conflict and lastly conclude with consensus. Structure is the social patterns, which influence and may restrict the choices and opportunities of the individual. Durkheim is a structuralist and explains structure through social facts. Social facts are the structures, values and norms, which surpass the individual and may lead to social constraint. Durkheim believes that structure together with hierarchy is the most important aspect of maintaining a civilized society. Similarly, Marx is also a structuralist. However, he explains structure through dialectical materialism. Through this, he believes that history is not driven by ideas but rather by economic and class interests. Thus, structure is based on what the interests of the most influential class (in an economic context) are. In contrast, Weber is not a structuralist and focuses on agency more than structure (this will be explained further later on). However he does explain structure through bureaucracy and a rational-legal model. He defines bureaucracy as routine tasks that become jurisdictional areas and are ordered by rules and regulations. Thus, structure can only optimally function if bureaucracy follows the strict rules and regulations put in place without any corruption. On the other hand, agency is the ability of individuals to make their own decisions and act independently through free will. Durkheim does not believe that society is based on the individual but more on the social structures around the individual. He maintains that individuals will come and go from social institutions, but institutions have a life over and above the individual and therefore structure plays a more influential role than agency. Likewise, Marx also believes that structure is more important than agency but also emphasizes the fact that structure leads to the detriment of the majority of individuals. This means that the majority of individuals’ interests are not taken into consideration and are over powered by the role of structure. On the contrary, Weber starts his argument with agency and explains agency through â€Å"verstehen† and the theory of social action. Weber maintains that it is important to understand why the individual does a certain action (â€Å"verstehen†) and that there are three different types of social action that make up a civilized society: Traditional action (actions carried out due to tradition and because that’s they way things have always been done), affective action (actions carried out due to emotion to express personal feelings) and rational action (actions carried out using reason to achieve a certain goal). Weber also believes that legitimate authority is based on agency and the free choice of individuals. The conflict theory maintains that social, material and economic inequality are the forces of social change within a society. Durkheim is of the belief that conflict will not achieve social change, but rather consensus (will be explained further later on). He stresses the fact that conflict will only cause disorder and chaos within a society and a society will not be able to move forward if there is too much conflict. However, Marx emphasizes conflict over consensus and that inequality and class conflict furthers one side of society (the bourgeoisie) and not the other (the proletariat) due to the economic interest of the upper class. Weber is in the middle of Durkheim and Marx on both conflict and consensus. Weber is of the opinion that conflict is due to inequality within a society and the fact that there are certain people in power by force (are not chosen to be in power), which contributes even more to conflict. In contrast to conflict, consensus maintains that social and economic systems are fair and sustain social order in society. Durkheim believes that for there to be a normative basis for order within a society, there has to be moral and normative consensus. This means that everyone within a society needs to have the same values, and when everyone has the same values they become norms for a society to live and act by. Marx on the other hand, does not believe in consensus but rather in conflict. He focuses on the fact that a society can only progress if there is conflict, not shared values and norms. If there is no economic interest within a society or class, a society will remain stagnant and not move forward. As stated before, Weber stands in the middle of Durkheim and Marx on consensus and states that for there to be consensus within a society, legitimate authority needs to be achieved through the consent of the people in a society. This means that all people should decide together on who should be given authority to do what. However he also believes that for a society to progress forward, conflict and consensus need to occur simultaneously. In conclusion, the three different authors all have very different but equally important viewpoints on society. Durkheim emphasizes structure over agency and consensus over conflict. Marx also focuses on structure over agency but rather conflict over consensus. And Weber stresses agency over structure and that conflict and consensus are equally important. Therefore Durkheim, Marx and Weber have many differences and similarities within the structure-agency and conflict-consensus frameworks.

Why did the Tamburlaine plays have such extraordinary appeal for sixteenth-century audiences?

The Tamburlaine plays are two works written by Christopher Marlowe. In this essay I will discuss why the plays were so appealing to audiences in Marlowe's time and whether they are still as appealing to a modern audience and why. The character of Tamburlaine can be compared to some historical characters the most accurate being Timur the Lame, a historical ruler over most of central Asia. Richard Wilson compares him to Tsar Ivan IV, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, the 16th Century Emperor of Russia, whose tyrannical rule, may well be replayed in Tamburlaine. (pp.51, R. Wilson, 1996.) The first of the two Tamburlaine plays was performed in 1587, following Marlowe's graduation from Cambridge. The second was most probably written and performed later following the success of Tamburlaine Part 1 in the theatres. Some critics however believe that the two plays were written and performed together; ‘in November 1587†¦Philip Gawdy describes how in a piece recently presented by the Lord Admirals Men an actor, called onto fire a gun at one of his fellows tied to a stake, missed his aim killing a pregnant woman, a child and maiming others. This has often been taken to refer to Tamburlaine's execution of the governor of Babylon in the final act of Part II, but the assumption cannot be verified.' (pp. 69, V. Thomas and W. Tydeman, 1994) Also ‘in 1588 Robert Greene†¦could allude to Marlowe ‘daring God out of heaven with the Atheist Tamburlan', a far less ambiguous reference to the scene in which Tamburlaine†¦orders the destruction of the Koran and defiantly daring Mahomet to come down and punish his impiety.' (pp. 69, V. Thomas and W. Tydeman, 1994) Conversely it may be possible that in the eyes of a 16th Century audience, Tamburlaine's actions would not be considered heretical because the Elizabethans knew Tamburlaine to be an infidel and would be not see the Qu'ran as a Holy book compared to their own Bible. Had he burned the Bible the case would have been very different. The issues of holy texts were hotly debated during this time as in each English church there had now been placed a new English language bible, which was in many parishes regarded as an alien book. The emphasis on holy text would have resonance for an Elizabethan audience having suffered over the last 40 years the changes between English and Latin Bibles and the Catholic and Protestant religion. Tamburlaine often refers to God as Jove, the Roman divine ruler, but only when he is expressly defying God. ‘Tamburlaine: The God of war resigns me to his room, Meaning to make me general of the world; Jove viewing me in arms looks pale and wan, Fearing my power should pull him from his throne.' (Act V, scene ii, line 388.) This quote shows Tamburlaine referring to God as Jove while believing he has the power to overthrow god, he says God fears him. This could show a certain awareness of the heretical nature of his deeds. He would rather refer to a God that he does not believe in than use the one he does. A part of him does fear God but Tamburlaine does not want to recognise it. To show fear is weakness. Weakness is not acceptable in a man in Tamburlaine's position of power and his self-importance. Tamburlaine although essentially Muslim, seems to be indecisive in his religious beliefs. In the first play he refers extensively to the way of Mohammed or Mahomet as he is called in the text, then nearing the end of the second play he denounces him as ‘not worthy of being worshipped' and burns the Qu'ran. This act which would cause uproar today especially to British Muslims, if not Muslims of all nationalities, would not have had the same effect on a sixteenth-century audience, in 1587 there were few i f any British Muslims, they were thought of and referred to as infidels, ungodly and wicked. A recent production of Tamburlaine at the Barbican in London in 2005, directed and adapted by David Farr, censored this part of the text in order to not incite religious reprisals, ‘key references' to Mohammed were also cut from the play especially from the book burning scene; ‘Simon Reade, artistic director of the Bristol Old Vic, said that if they had not altered the original it â€Å"would have unnecessarily raised the hackles of a significant proportion of one of the world's great religions†. The burning of the Koran was â€Å"smoothed over†, he said, so that it became just the destruction of â€Å"a load of books† relating to any culture or religion. That made it more powerful, they claimed.' (D. Alberge, 2005) In my opinion the final sentence of this quote is inappropriate because I feel that the burning of the Qu'ran is an incredibly important part of the play, without it being the Qu'ran it completely changes what the scene means and how controversial it would be to modern audience. The Qu'ran is a holy text, burning just ‘a load of books' renders the scene completely unnecessary and irrelevant to the play and takes Tamburlaine's death, completely out of context, if indeed his death is an act of God, for him burning the Qu'ran, as many interpretations claim. Terry Hands the director of Tamburlaine by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1992 and Charles Nicholl, the author of The Reckoning: The Murder of Christopher Marlowe, opposed this censoring as did Inayat Bunglawala, the media secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, who said ‘In the context of a fictional play, I don't think it will have offended many people.' Britain was a wholly and strongly Christian nation in 1587; no one would oppose the destruction of a book of another holy order, which they believed to be blasphemous. Violence and the disorder of war was part of contemporary Elizabethan England. Public execution and punishment in gruesome manners was a form of entertainment at the time of the Tamburlaine plays. As was making an example of those executed, as Tamburlaine's victims are hung on the city walls, many beheaded criminals had their head displayed on spikes to warn others. Many plays performed at this time used war or famous historic heroes of war as a basis for their storylines and often had what is to a modern eye grotesque and appalling episodes of violence. This is shown in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus (1584), without doubt his most bloody play. ‘Marlowe achieved far greater fame and popularity than Shakespeare at the same point in their theatrical careers (both born 1564).' (pp.95, C. Breight, 1996) With the exception of Titus Andronicus Shakespeare did not really come into his own until the early 1590's and was not recognised as great playwright until his later life, whereas Marlowe was celebrated through his early life before he died at the age of 29. Marlowe was genius and his work was well known and widely performed by the time of his death. The language in much of Shakespearean text is very elaborate and although a sixteenth-century audience may have been able to understand it better than a modern audience, Marlowe's language is much more direct. This gives much more impact and ‘says what it means' leaving the dramatic potential for the delivery. ‘Tamburlaine: Your fearful minds are thick and misty then, For there sits Death, there sits imperious Death, Keeping his circuit buy the slicing edge. But I am glad you shall not see him there. He now is seated on my horsemen's spears, And on their points his fleshless body feeds, Techelles, straight go charge a few of them To charge these dames, and show my servant Death Sitting in scarlet on their armà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½d spears.' (Act V, scene ii, line 47) This quote shows how Marlowe uses a straightforward and more direct form of language than Shakespeare's and this is and was part of his appeal to contemporary and modern audiences. The aggressive and ego-centric speech is impossible to perform in a retiring and introverted manner and the stage presence of the actor is larger than life. In accordance with modern audiences, sixteenth-century audiences loved a character that they can hate, Tamburlaine can be compared to more modern comedic characters such as Flashheart in Blackadder and Jafar in Disney's Aladdin. These words and others in the play need to be performed to understand the full effect of what Tamburlaine is saying. He is teasing the virgins, he is making a joke out of the fact that they begged for mercy and he is still going to kill them. This ruthless and cruel nature is what makes Tamburlaine the man he is, it makes him such a loathsome character. Despite being a dislikeable character Tamburlaine is also a very passionate character, his determination and victory in all his conquests, his love for Zenocrate, his mercy shown in sparing her father after conquering Egypt almost make him a worthy role model for the 16th century man. ‘Audiences were not necessarily intended to understand Tamburlaine; such was his shock value and his capacity to break through the very fabric of society with his ceaseless conquests and unquenchable thirst for power. (novelguide.com, 2009)' This quote describes Tamburlaine as shocking character which he is; he is designed to shock and inspire an audience, his inspiration may not be as noticeable today in a less barbaric and more modern way of life, but to a 16th Century audience it would have been obvious, Tamburlaine's enthusiasm for war was what England at the time wanted from its people for the impending war with Spain. He is a ruthless, power hungry, slaughterer who does not give the audience a chance to see how he would cope with defeat. Defeat is not an option for Tamburlaine, just as defeat was not an option for Queen Elizabeth I when she launched the fire ships against the Spanish Armada just a year later in 1588. Tamburlaine shows determination but it also shows him going too far, he forgets that he's mortal and he is still down here on the ground. He is still subject to God, although he heretically believes himself to be more powerful. All Elizabethans knew that a strong sometimes even aggressive leader was essential for their safety in the 16th Century. Their experiences in the reigns of Edward VI and Mary Tudor both weaker monarchs in their capacities of leadership and war must have been unsettling and remembered by theatre goers. Strong dynamic leaders such as Henry VIII and the later Elizabeth I gave a sense of peace and safety to at least part of the nation although there were still dissidents. The appeal of Tamburlaine as play could be partly because people could discuss him and his activities without fear of being thought treasonable. His strength as leader would have been commendable. ‘A Prince ought to have no other aim or thought, nor select anything else for his study, than war and its rules and discipline; for this is the sole art that belongs to him who rules, and it is of such force that it not only upholds those who are born princes, but it often enables men to rise from a private station to that rank.' This quote from Machiavelli's The Prince was a European view on how a prince or other leader should be, it states how a person of a lower status can raise himself up from private to Prince as Tamburlaine has done from shepherd to King. It states that a prince's sole study should be the art of war in his role as protector. Tamburlaine is a strong leader, his subjects are safe from any surrounding forces as shown in the way that Tamburlaine has fought off two advances from Callapine, the son of Bajazeth the former Turkish ruler whom Tamburlaine tortured and humiliated. His knowledge and performance in war is unmatchable. In conclusion the Tamburlaine plays would have appealed to a 16th century audience for a number of reasons. Mainly for the various ways in which the character of Tamburlaine presents himself, as villain but also as an inspiration, as a man who has become drunk with power, but also a strong leader who knows what he is doing on the battlefield. Tamburlaine's self contradictions are endless. A 16th Century audience would have enjoyed the build up to ultimate power then the anti-climatic downfall of their ‘hero'!

Disaster Preparedness Essay

Name: Rivera, Rosalynd L. Prof. Tiongson Student No.: 2012- 78908 August 8, 2013 National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan: Disaster Preparedness According to the Word Disaster Report of 2012, The Philippines ranks third of the most disaster-prone countries. Because it is situated on a geologically unstable region and is surrounded by many subduction zones that may cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, typhoon and tsunamis, it is impossible to stop natural disasters from hitting our country; all we can do is to manage risks. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan is established to become the basis of programs and proposals to help make the communities be disaster resilient and has four areas of responsibility that are interlinked, supporting each other. One of these key priorities of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan is disaster preparedness. It aims to increase the level of awareness of the communities to the threats and impacts of all hazards and risks, to equip the community with necessary skills to cope with the negative effects and to increase capacity of institutions. One of the main goals of disaster preparedness is to increase the level of awareness of the communities to the threats and impacts of all hazards and risks. This is due to some Filipino’s lack of knowledge about the geographical situation of the country and that probably, only a few knows the reasons why the Philippines gets hit by natural disasters very often. Some families may live in a geologically unstable location or near a water body that might be hit by natural hazards any time, but how do they know? Unless somebody is going to disseminate information regarding the threats and risks, Filipinos will continue to know nothing about how can these affect their lives. When the people’s level of awareness is increased, they  will be more prepared; they will know how to reduce the risks and how to react during calamities. The Philippine Information Agency together with its implementing partners, AFP, CHED, DEPED, DOH, PAGASA, and PHIVOLCS develops and implements Information, Education and Communication campaigns and programs both locally and nationwide. For example, the Bagyo,Lindol, Tsunami, and Baha or the BLTB Project of DOST-PAGASA, a part of PAGASA’s greater campaign against natural disasters which aims to â€Å"do away with the technical side of natural hazards and instead provide the public with clearer, more simplified explanations so they will have a stronger grasp of these calamities and be better prepared† was launched on July 23, 2013 partly in an animated audio-visual presentation. This way, people will easily understand these calamities thus letting them be more prepared when disasters strike. To help strengthen the disaster preparedness of the society, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan also aims to equip the communities with necessary skills and capability to cope with the impacts of the disaster. This serves as the second step towards the effective disaster preparedness because information dissemination is not enough. Filipinos need to be trained for them to know what proper measures are to be undertaken before, during and after a calamity. Through the coordination of Department of Interior and Local Government, the Office of Civil Defense and other government agencies like the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Philippine National Police, various activities and programs such as, trainings and simulation exercises in disaster preparedness and response, integration of DRRM and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) to school curricula and establishment of DRRM trainin g institutes to conduct education, training, research and publication programs were developed and implemented to accomplish the target outputs. For example, in eastern Visayas, the principles of disaster preparedness are now fully included in the curriculum of secondary and tertiary levels and in addition, other approaches like the preparation of modules in disaster preparedness used in Alternative Learning System (ALS) and the expansion of the focus of the  Citizen Army training (CAT) for high school seniors on civic work, community service and law enforcement training are also undertaken. As a part of this program, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, releases guides on earthquake preparedness to reduce the impacts. Lastly, the disaster preparedness program of the DRRMP also identified the increase of capacity of institutions as one of its priorities. The support of government and non-government sectors are necessary to equip the community with essential skills to cope with the effects of a disaster so that people will have emotional stability, too. The Department of Interior and Local Government through the help of other government agencies leads actions such as: accreditation of Non-Government Organizations, development of local DRRM plan, administration of risk assessments, contingency planning, knowledge management and training activities, inventory of resources, stockpiling and prepositioning of resources and establishment of DRRM Operations Center to ensure self-reliant and operational DRRM councils and fully-functioning, adequately staffed and financially capable local DRRM offices. In the present, the local government collaborates with NGOs for better implementation of disaster manageme nt and preparedness programs, these organizations engage more in advocacy and legal support for populations facing increased risk because of development projects and environmental destruction. In conclusion, the disaster preparedness priority area of the NDRRMP offers strategic actions that help people to improve their awareness and understanding through information dissemination, contingency planning, and conduct of drills and development of natural disaster management plans. However, to ensure these services and operations, the other three key priority areas must be properly handled too because they work as a whole. Revisions on the NDRRMP are to be made depending on the observations of concerned sectors to achieve the goals in the most effective way. The Philippines have very good established disaster preparedness plans and in fact, it is considered as one of the well-prepared countries when it comes to natural disasters. The goals and activities presented above are very important because not only properties but lives will be destroyed if people  will neglect disaster preparedness and it also show that both authorities and the community must actively participate for t hese plans to work and for the people to attain better security.

The Genealogy of Morals

The philosophical works The Genealogy of Morals, by Friedrich Nietzsche provides the reader with an opinion on what human morality means. The following paper will explore Neitzche’s l as implementation of analysis for his philosophy.   In Neitzche’s The Genealogy of Morals the concept of humanity and the way in which God produced or created humanity and gave them certain attributes of good or evil will also be represented in this paper.   In fact, the basis of Neitzche’s writing is about good and evil and the way in which humanity, history, religion, and philosophy have created, or manipulated these concepts to fit their own devices. Nietzsche restricts the presence of God in his equation by saying that the concepts of good and evil have changed with the progression of history and that these two paradigms of human behavior and secular code will continue to evolve toward the demands of a changing society. Nietzsche, therefore, makes the argument that morals are constructs of the times in which we will and have evolved much as human beings have over the ages, but that this is not necessarily a good thing because it is meant as a manner of preventing others from having control over us. This is because people inherently wish to exercise power over others and morals are a way of leveling things off so that the strongest members of society do not dominate, as Nietzsche emphasizes, The pathos of nobility and distance, as mentioned, the lasting and domineering feeling, something total and complete, of a higher ruling nature in relation to a lower nature, to an â€Å"beneath†Ã¢â‚¬â€that is the origin of the opposition between â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad.† (The right of the master to give names extends so far that we could permit ourselves to grasp the origin of language itself as an expression of the power of the rulers: they say â€Å"that is such and such,† seal every object and event with a sound and, in so doing, take possession of it.) In the Genealogy of Morals, Friedrich Nietzsche presents his idea about the morality of human beings and why it is flawed: Nietzsche begins by discounting many of society’s assumptions on how they function in life, as he believes that we tend to view things as having inherent meanings But all purposes, all uses, are only signs that a will to power has become master over something with less power and has stamped on it its own meaning of some function, and the entire history of a â€Å"thing,† an organ, a practice can by this process be seen as a continuing chain of signs of constantly new interpretations and adjustments, whose causes need not be connected to each other—they rather follow and take over from each other under merely contingent circumstances. Nietzsche uses punishment as an example in this case, as human beings tend to believe that punishment is an action that happens to a person as a result of that person doing something that he or she deserves to be punished, although counter to this Nietzsche also states that suffering is meaningless and therefore, punishment may also with Nietzche’s own philosophy be meaningless. He would argue that punishment is completely separate from this, however, as punishment is very often used as a way of showing off one’s power or in some cases, as an act of cruelty. This suggests that the punishment does not always fit the crime, as the clichà © is written, so those two things should not necessarily be associated with each other. It cannot be understood how these two things are the same thing, so it is necessary to keep them separate. Nietzsche then continues this argument to show how morality has arrived at the point that it is at right now. He believes that morals have become such an important thing in a person’s life because they have very sacred reasons for having these morals, which include religion, culture, and reason. These, morals, however, are flawed because what constitutes a good, bad, or evil act can change over the course of history in a social morality as situations change because there is no absolute truth to them. What this means is that an action could be considered either good or bad depending on the situation, so it is impossible for morals to be considered absolute as well. Nietzsche, rather than defining good and bad, looks at what helps to define what shape an action will take over the course of our lives. Nietzsche argues that all of existence, especially in human beings, is a struggle between different wills for the feeling of power. This means that society wishes to have some sort of control over their own lives and also over the lives of others. This is why competition and the nature of this in man is so prevalent in society, Rather, that occurs for the first time with the collapse of aristocratic value judgments, when this entire contrast between â€Å"egoistic† and â€Å"unegoistic† pressed itself ever more strongly into human awareness—it is, to use my own words, the instinct of the herd which, through this contrast, finally gets its word (and its words). And even so, it took a long time until this instinct in the masses became ruler, with the result that moral evaluation got downright hung up and bogged down on this opposition (as is the case, for example, in modern Europe: today the prejudice that takes â€Å"moralistic,† â€Å"unegoistic,† â€Å"dà ©sintà ©ressà ©Ã¢â‚¬  [disinterested] as equally valuable ideas already governs, with the force of a â€Å"fixed idea† and a disease of the brain). It is all a competition to achieve this power, even if there is no physical reward for winning these competitions. Nietzsche shows the constant changing of the ideologies of good and bad by stating that in past generations, the concept of good was defined by the strongest people in society. In barbaric times, anything that the stronger members of society did was defined as good, while the weaker members of society were seen as bad. This is not something that we would agree upon today, but members of these past societies would not agree with the way we do things either. Therefore, Nietzsche believes that to give anything an absolute interpretation does not work because as the times change, so will this interpretation. It is wills which define this, so as wills change, so will the apparent truth. If it is truly desirable to have free will, therefore, a person must not believe in any absolutes, but rather view the world as a constantly changing place and let our wills define the things that are occurring around and in society. This includes looking at things from as many different perspectives as possible in order to decide contingently upon personal perspectives which viewpoint a person wishes to make. This can also be applied to morality as, since nothing is absolute, morals are constantly changing as well. Morality is not something that was passed down from God to human beings, but is rather something that has evolved and changed since the beginning of time and will continue to do so. The only thing that has not change in human beings is that they inherently have the desire to achieve more power over their fellow human beings, because of the existence of free wills. This means that the present morality that human beings possess has been born due to hatred for those things that are stronger in the presence of society. Nietzsche argues that a person will have fear of things that could possibly have power over them, so a person must have developed this moral code in order to protect themselves from the stronger members of society. Nietzsche believes that a person must embrace these animalistic instincts because a person is currently hurting themselves by repressing them. Nietzsche says that morals are a result of trying to deter others from having power.   The notion of human morality is something that philosophers have debates over for centuries and will continue to do so as society progresses as well as thoughts of absolutes and God evolve. Work Cited Neitzche, F.   Genealogy of Morals.   Dover Thrift Edition.   New York.   2003.                  

Possible Pre-conditions for the Check Availability of Seats Essay

Possible Pre-conditions for the Check Availability of Seats - Essay Example In case of unavailability of user requested seat system will show an error message to enter the number of needed seats.To check â€Å"Availability of Seats† user needs to open the system section that is related to the booking of seats. In that section, a user needs to take care of all parameters regarding the data validity.   This section will outline some of the possible post-conditions of the Check Availability of Seats use case. In case of unavailability of a number of seats, the system will send a message to save the request. In this case, customer request will be processed later when seats are available regarding any excursion.In case of any wrong entry in the system data fields, the system will send an error message and indication of wrong values need to be resolved.In case of bus unavailability system will send the request to pending (waiting) list that will be preceded later on system user confirmation.To check â€Å"Availability of Seats† user needs to fill a ll the fields using a proper way. In case of any wrong entry system will show an error message.