Prison System Rehabilitation And Self Growth - 1217 Words

Today’s prison system is riddled with problems, filled with corruption, crime, and little to no programs for rehabilitation. The current goal of the owners and operators of the prisons is to punish prisoners and to make as much money as possible. The welfare of the people locked in cages is not accounted for as much as it should be— safety, physical, and mental health of the inmates is should be prioritized over money and self-interest. Prison should be about rehabilitation, acknowledging the mistakes a person has made, and accepting the consequences of their actions. It should not be about dehumanization, judgment, and punishment. Therefore, I have developed a prison system based on these principles that will help people move on with†¦show more content†¦Keeping people locked away by themselves for extended periods of time can lead to mental insanity; and no social interaction is dangerous for the well being of humans. Solitary confinement is a barbaric way to punish someone—it is a legal way to torture people. The removal of solitary confinement would be the first strep in a more effective incarceration system. There are other, more effective ways to enforce rules other than throwing a person in a dark hole for days or weeks or even months on end. In order to get rid of solitary confinement, there has to be another system of punishment that is not as cruel but still gets the point across. I wanted to create a system of positive reinforcement and negative punishment among our system of incarceration. The more the inmates follow the rules and listen to the guards, the easier their lives are in prison. They can gain privileges such as extra phone time, extended visiting hours, priority on jobs, the ability to wear clothing of their choice, etc. for good behavior. For breaking the rules, their privileges can be taken away from them. They will not be allowed to see their family members, use the phone, etc. until the exhibit a change i n behavior and follow the rules. They will also have mandatory work added to their schedules or mandatory therapy sessions. However, the prisoners will feel more compelled to follow the rules if they are rewarded for their good behavior and they will not want to lose their

Employee Decision Making, Training And Performance...

Running Head: HPWP HPWP [Author’s Name] [Institution’s Name] The world has turned into a global village, which has increased the level of competition among companies and every company wants to be at the top of their game. This competition has led to companies using High Performance Work Practices (HPWP), because they increase productivity, operations, as well as performance. Human resources within an organization are expensive and important; this is the reason why many strategies are developed to handle them because they impact the operations of a company. The proper definition of HPWP is the involvement and participation of employees, employers and managers, where they communicate and form a trust.There are different elements†¦show more content†¦According to researchers, there are different bundles of HPWP in every organization; they include the three elements mentioned above, but they also include working teams that are self managed, total quality management, and a learning organization. A company may n ot just adopt one package, but would go for different packages, depending on the need of employees and their own convenience. The first factor is employee participation in the decision making process; employees feel valued when the company’s administration involves them in the decision making process. These decisions could be about day to day activities, or they could be major decisions which impact the organization significantly. This doesn’t mean that the administration of the organization would seek an opinion from every employee of the company, it simply means that the department or the employee relevant to the matter, would be included in the decision making process, so that the outcome would be effective. The second factor is self-managed teams, where employees make their own teams,choose their own team leader and set their own goals. This way, the team feels more responsible for the task assigned to them and they get the opportunity to share their ideas and knowledge with their colleagues. Self-managed teams also make their own decisions, which eliminates the traditional concept of managers and directors of the company, making decisions for the employees. Self-managed teams are also

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND EXPANSION OF THE EUROPE Essay Example For Students

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND EXPANSION OF THE EUROPE Essay AN INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND EXPANSION OF THE EUROPE EssayAN INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM: AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR SECURITY AND SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXPANSION OF THE EUROPEAN INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM We are at risk. America depends on computers. They control power delivery, communications, aviation, and financial services. They are used to store vital information, from medical records to business plans, to criminal records. Although we trust them, they are vulnerable to the effects of poor design and insufficient quality control, to accident, and perhaps most alarmingly, to deliberate attack. While the countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are becoming more aware of the haves and have-nots within their own societies, there is a similar but much larger division between haves and have-nots on a global scale. Can ICTs help to close the gap? Howkins, John. Development and the Information Age, United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development, 1997. I. Introduction The origins Information Technology can be traced back to the first forms of spoken and written language. However, within the context of the 20th century, IT refers to the development and use of machines, whether they are computers, cameras, or indeed any electronic device, which produces, transmits, receives, deciphers, or in any other way, manipulates data. That data can be sound, text, numerical, or visual. Since the 1960s, the world has seen the rapid development of IT via the invention and miniaturization of the transistor, the computer, fiber-optic wire, and development of numerous programming languages that instruct these machines to perform their tasks. There has already been, and no doubt will be extensive discussion of the technical innovations and specific technologies that have emerged in the past few decades. However, far more important than the specific technologies is the manner in which governments, businesses, individuals and groups implement IT to achieve their respective goals. For this exercise, IT will be loosely defined as the amalgamation of technological resources that allows for the flow of information across time and space. This paper will analyze the role of IT in the expansion of the European international system. Specifically, the analysis will look at the effect of IT on international security and socio-economic development. Within the realm of international security, several concerns over the role of IT arise. First, what new risks are associated with the development of IT in terms of national security as well as international stability? Second, and conversely, can IT serve as a detriment to conflict? (Both of these questions also raise concerns over territorial sovereignty.) Third, what advantage, if any, does a nation with superior IT have in conflict/war? In terms of socio-economic development, the development of IT raises new concerns for the Western world as well as Less Developed Countries: What are the benefits and consequences of the development of IT for the developed countries and those for LDCs? Furthermore, what role has the development of IT played in expanding the European international system to LDCs, and what are its consequences? II. IT and Security Issues In a very real sense, the Information Superhighway has become the economic brace of many developed nations. While leading the world into the Information Age, developed nations have become uniquely dependent on that highwaythe computers and the global network that connect them together. .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d , .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .postImageUrl , .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d , .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d:hover , .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d:visited , .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d:active { border:0!important; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d:active , .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf88844a576741972060ef5ebde2c496d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Social darwinsim history Essay This dependency has become a clear and compelling threat to their economic well being, their citizens public safety, and their national security for a number of reasons. The worlds communication networks, referred to by many as cyberspace, know no physical boundaries. Increasing connectivity to and through cyberspace increases any .

Studies on Entrepreneurship Development for Graduate in Maiduguri Borno State Implication for Counselling Strategies free essay sample

Studies on Entrepreneurship Development for Graduate in Maiduguri Borno State: Implication for Counselling Strategies By Umar Goni NCE, B. ED. M. ED. (Asst. Lecturer) Department of Education University of Maiduguri [emailprotected] com, Umara Mustapha NCE, B. A. ED. M. ED. (Chief Tutor) Department of Education University of Maiduguri and Ali Mburza B. A. ED. M. ED PhD Department of Education University of Maiduguri [emailprotected] com Abstract This is an empirical study designed to investigate entrepreneurship development for graduates in Maiduguri Borno State: Implications for counselling strategies. Four research objectives were set and four research questions were answered in this study. A survey method was employed, an instrument tagged Entrepreneurship Development Among Youths in Borno State Questionnaire (SEDAYQ) was developed and validated by the researchers, the questionnaire elicit information on youths ability and inability to become entrepreneurs. The questionnaire also elicit information on age, personal background, educational level, moral support, family background and personal experience in the area of interest, data were analyzed using frequency count nd percentages. We will write a custom essay sample on Studies on Entrepreneurship Development for Graduate in Maiduguri Borno State: Implication for Counselling Strategies or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The findings of study revealed types of entrepreneurship engaged by youths in Borno State, Causes of youths’ engagement in entrepreneurship, Government role in assisting entrepreneurs and Problems encountered by the graduates in entrepreneurship. Counselling strategies were also provided to graduates, government and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on how to develop, assist and improve entrepreneurship among Borno State graduates and to become self reliant in the society. Key Words: Entrepreneurship, Development, Graduates Counselling Strategies Introduction The idea of Entrepreneurship is not new in Nigeria; it had existed even before the coming of the colonial masters. The prominence being gained by entrepreneurship in the present time is borne out of the need to address the octopus called unemployment which is facing our society; entrepreneurship is associated with different kinds of activities that have to do with the establishment of business enterprises. Such activities may include identification of investment opportunities, deciding what opportunities to exploit for profit, promotion and establishment of business enterprise. Others include pooling of various resources needed for production and distribution of goods and services, organization and management of human and materials resources for the attainment of the objectives of the enterprise, as well as risk bearing and innovation. Thus the effective performance of the above activities is very vital to start, growth and survival of any business enterprise. Entrepreneurship is a significant factor in the process of the economic development of any nation like Nigeria. Entrepreneurial development is meant to facilitate enterprise development and skill acquisition in order to reduce dependence on the existing employment market. It also entails the objective of motivating the individual to explore the possibility of exploiting the abundant resources in this country as entrepreneur. No wonder governments, nongovernmental organization, companies, humanitarians and individuals are now interested in empowering the people to create Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME). This increased interest has been fostered by such factors in recognition that small firms play a major role in job creation and innovation as well as a vehicle for social and economic development and dependence on government (Ihekwoaba, 2007) There are two sources of funds to take up an entrepreneurship; they are internal and external sources. The internal source refers to the entrepreneur’s private sources such as personal saving and family and friend’s contributions. On the other hand, the external source refers to borrowed funds from the formal sector such as the wealthy individual, Banks, loan from cooperative societies, government investment cooperation and capital market. Entrepreneurship according to Chambers 20th Centaury Dictionary (1985), the root word to entrepreneurship is an undertaking. On the other hand, an ‘entrepreneur’ is referred to as the individual who undertakes an enterprise especially a commercial one often at a personal risk. Entrepreneurship according to Timmons (2006) is the process of bringing together creative and innovative ideas and coupling these with management, organization and skills in order to combine man, money machineries and other resources to meet an identified need thereby creating wealth. Hirsch and Peters (2005) sees entrepreneurship as the process of creating something new and with value by devoting the necessary time and effort, assuming the accompanying financial, physic and social risks and receiving the resulting rewards of monetary and personal satisfaction and independence. From the above definition it can be inferred that entrepreneurship is an initiative, imagination, flexibility, creativity and the willingness to think conceptually and capacity to see change as an opportunity. Entrepreneurship therefore, involves the identification and exploitation of opportunities to innovate. Bridge, Neil Cromic (2003) postulated that entrepreneurship is the willingness and ability of an Individual or group of persons to search for investment opportunities, establish and run a business successfully. In other words, entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new business in response to identified opportunities. Statement of the Problem Nigerian school leavers have low achievement motivation and risk taking behaviour. They do not invest independently to achieve success in personally determined ventures; rather they roam about seeking for employment on already flourishing organizations. Graduates of Universities and indeed tertiary institutions loiter around for several years without setting up a business of their own. Today, not only graduates of tertiary institutions in Maiduguri foraged the State capital (Maiduguri) in search of employment, but graduates from other sister States all over the country. This makes it necessary to look into how this predicament will be reduced or completely eliminated. It is a well known fact that both local and State governments in Borno have not employed graduates of all categories in the State for long. Hence these unemployed graduates parade themselves in the State in search of unavailable white collar jobs. Objectives of the Study The objectives of this study were to determine the following: 1-Types of entrepreneurship engaged in by graduates in Borno State 2-Causes of youths’ engagement in entrepreneurship in Borno State 3-Government assistance to graduates entrepreneurs in Borno State 4-Problems encountered by graduate entrepreneurs in Borno State Research Questions The following questions were answered in this study: 1. What are the types of entrepreneurship engaged in by graduates in Borno State? 2. What are the causes of youths’ engagement in entrepreneurship in Borno State? 3. Does government provide assistance to graduate entrepreneurs in Borno State? . What are the problems encountered by graduate entrepreneurs in Borno State? Methodology A survey method was employed in this study, an instrument tagged Entrepreneurship Development Among Youths in Borno State Questionnaire (EDAYQ) was develop and validated by the researchers, the questionnaire elicit information on youths ability and inabi lity to become entrepreneurs. The questionnaire also elicits information on age, personal background, educational level, support, family background and personal experience in the area of interest. The target population for the study was the entire youths in Borno State. However, eight hundred and eighty nine were sampled for this study. Purposive and Volunteer sampling techniques were used to select the samples. Only youths who are graduates and were engaged in entrepreneurship and s have volunteered to fill in the questionnaire were used. Data was analyzed using frequency counts and percentages. Results and Discussion Research Question One: What are the types of entrepreneurship engaged in by graduates in Borno State? Table 1: Types of Entrepreneurship Engaged in by Youths in Borno State by Gender Types of EntrepreneurshipFrequencyMale PercentagesFemalePercentages Cap making and washing 39283. 4 111. 23 Petty trading 138647. 19 748. 32 Road side mechanics 10310311. 58 Driving 12612614. 17 Dying13050. 56 080. 89 Gold/black smithing16161. 79 Live stock/fish farming 41202. 24212. 36 Dry cleaning48485. 39 Barbing /hairdressing 80202. 24606. 79 Vulcanizing26262. 92 Food selling24040. 44 202. 24 Bricklaying 06060. 67 Key cutting 07070. 78 D. V. D plate sales/ recording03020. 22 010. 11 Recharge cards/news paper vending14101. 12 040. 44 Welding21212. 36 Table one shows the types of entrepreneurship engaged in by youths in Borno State. From the sixteen entrepreneurship programmes expressed by the respondents, it is evident to see that more males engage in driving and road side mechanics while the females engage in petty trading and hair dressing. It is also evident from the findings of this study that the entrepreneurships programmes are stereotype in nature this is because no female graduate participated in entrepreneurship programmes such as road side mechanics, driving, gold/black smithing dry cleaning, vulcanizing, bricklaying, key cutting and welding. These entrepreneurships are traditionally seen as male oriented occupations. Research Question Two: What are the causes of youths’ engagement in entrepreneurship in Borno State? Table 2: Causes of Youths’ Engagement in Entrepreneurship in Borno State Causes FrequencyMale PercentagesFemale Percentages Poverty 2921301. 6216218. 22 Unemployment 50835239. 5915617. 54 Pressure from parents 89232. 58667. 42 Table 2 revealed unemployment, poverty and pressure from parents as the reasons for the youths’ engagement in entrepreneurship programmes in Borno State. None of the respondents indicated personal interest in the programmes. This is an indication that the youths are forced by circumstances for engaging in the entrepreneurships. Research Question Three: Does government provide assistance to graduate entrepreneurs in Borno State? Table 3: Government Assistance to Graduate Entrepreneurs in Borno State Assistance FrequencyMale PercentagesFemale Percentages Provided 00 Not Provided 88950556. 80 38443. 19 Table three shows that out of the 889 (505 males and 384 females) youths that participated in this study none of them indicated that they have received any assistance from the government in establishing the entrepreneurship they engage in. This is unhealthy for youth development and national development. Research Question Four: What are the problems encountered by graduate entrepreneurs in Borno State? Table 4: Problems Encountered by Graduate Entrepreneurs in Borno State Problem FrequencyMale PercentagesFemale Percentages Lack of Capital40120122. 6120022. 49 Lack of Support112829. 22303. 37 Rent Problem31217619. 7913615. 29 Lack of Electricity 53455. 06080. 89 No Problem11010. 11101. 12% Table four shows that lack of capital, lack of support, rent problem and lack of electricity as the problems they face in running the entrepreneurship they have established. Only 11(1 male and 10 females) revealed that they had no problem in establishing their entrepreneurship. Counselling Strategies -Youths should be encouraged to establish small scale businesses which will make them self employed instead of waiting for white collar jobs which are not forth coming. This could be done through assisting the youths with soft loans. -Youths should also be encouraged through counselling to develop personal interest in entrepreneurship programmes not necessarily get involved only when they are pushed to the world by unemployment as was the case in this study. Governments at all levels should endeavour to assist youths who are interested in establishing their own businesses by subsidizing electricity and shop charges. The government official could be reached through workshop and seminars. Recommendations Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made: 1. From the entrepreneurship programmes indicated by the youths in this study, it is evident that the youths’ exposure for entrepreneurship is too limited. Thus, they should be encouraged to explore more entrepreneurship programmes that would demand less capital to start. This could be done through mounting of campaigns on radio and television. 2. Government and Non governmental Organizations should assist youths with soft capital to establish their sown Business. 3. Borno State government should establish Entrepreneurship Board which should take charge of assisting youths with revolving capital to establish their own Business. 4. Government and private organizations should establish companies and industries where youths should be employed after graduation. References Bridge, S. O. Neil, K. Cromic, S. (2003). Understanding enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Small- Business. London: Palgrave Chambers 20th Century Dictionary (1985). England : Pearson Education Limited Hirsch, R. D. and Peters, M. P. (2005). Entrepreneurship, New Delhi: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited. Ihekwoaba, M. (2007). Entrepreneurship in vocational technical education, Lagos: Mukugamu Brother Enterprises Timmons, J. (2006). What is entrepreneurship, Colinbus USA Retrieved from www. entre-ed. org 22nd August 2010.

Free Essays on Climate Change

Climate Change Over the past years most individuals have become acutely aware that the intensity of human and economic development enjoyed over the 20th century cannot be sustained. Material consumption and ever increasing populations are already stressing the earth’s ecosystems. How much more the earth can take remains a very heated issue. Here a look at the facts sheds some very dark light. In 1950, there were 2.5 billion people, while today there are 5.8 billion. There may well be 10 billion people on earth before the middle of the next century. Even more significant, on an ecological level, is the rise in per capita energy and material consumption which, in the last 40 years, has soared faster than the human population. â€Å"An irresistible economy seems to be on a collision course with an immovable ecosphere.† Based on these facts alone, there is grave reason for concern. Taken further, it is even more frightening to note that, while man has affected the env ironment throughout his stay on earth, the impact has been most intense in the relatively short industrial era. Since the industrial revolution, and over the past century in particular, man’s ecological footprint on the earth has quickly grown from that of a child to one of a giant. True, this period is heralded as an economic success story, which it certainly has been. However, many argue that it seems increasingly likely that the path to man’s success will soon slope downward to his demise. The climate is changing, and so must we. This paper will look at the coin of climate change, where on the one side the human impact on the earth will be shown, and on the other, the impact of earth on man. Such a study is inevitably somewhat polemical, as it is still open to debate what the precise effects of man have and will be on climate change, and also what climate change will mean to man. It will also be quite general in analysis, as a paper of this scope... Free Essays on Climate Change Free Essays on Climate Change Climate Change Over the past years most individuals have become acutely aware that the intensity of human and economic development enjoyed over the 20th century cannot be sustained. Material consumption and ever increasing populations are already stressing the earth’s ecosystems. How much more the earth can take remains a very heated issue. Here a look at the facts sheds some very dark light. In 1950, there were 2.5 billion people, while today there are 5.8 billion. There may well be 10 billion people on earth before the middle of the next century. Even more significant, on an ecological level, is the rise in per capita energy and material consumption which, in the last 40 years, has soared faster than the human population. â€Å"An irresistible economy seems to be on a collision course with an immovable ecosphere.† Based on these facts alone, there is grave reason for concern. Taken further, it is even more frightening to note that, while man has affected the env ironment throughout his stay on earth, the impact has been most intense in the relatively short industrial era. Since the industrial revolution, and over the past century in particular, man’s ecological footprint on the earth has quickly grown from that of a child to one of a giant. True, this period is heralded as an economic success story, which it certainly has been. However, many argue that it seems increasingly likely that the path to man’s success will soon slope downward to his demise. The climate is changing, and so must we. This paper will look at the coin of climate change, where on the one side the human impact on the earth will be shown, and on the other, the impact of earth on man. Such a study is inevitably somewhat polemical, as it is still open to debate what the precise effects of man have and will be on climate change, and also what climate change will mean to man. It will also be quite general in analysis, as a paper of this scope...

Essay Internal Controls in SAP

Essay Internal Controls in SAP Essay: Internal Controls in SAP Credit limit check (static) the credit exposure for the customer may not exceed the set limits for credit. The exposure of Credit is the aggregate value of all the items. Credit limit check (Dynamic) this checks all the value of the document based on the horizon period. To open the order value involves all the undelivered orders. The calculation of the value occurs on the date of shipping, and is kept in a data structure for a specified period of time. To define the credit check, a certain future horizon date is specified: it could be 10 days or two months depending on the specified periods. The credit limit check can be applied at any time within the service to offer information about the customer’s credit status. It can be accessed automatically and manually. The system is designed to check the planned costs without tax. Validity checks are the implementation guide in the individual financial statement data. They are assigned to particular groups. With validity checks, you can check individual statements immediately after input and individual companies can also be checked. The system as an application control detects when something goes wrong. It contains zip codes which it compares to cities and states. It is from this internal control that it obtains the information to detect incorrect entries and this is a validity check. With an active validation check, SAP SNC adapts to the order of work in these cases: when the customer alters the order of purchase to SAP SNC, or the user has saved the work order with altered or current (new) deliveries on the user interface. Batch number invalid- this validation check becomes relevant when the user decides to have the batches tracked and their usage in the work order collaboration. The supplier sends confirmations to SAP SNC through xml messages. You can pay for writing your essay at custom writing service. Just visit our website and fill in the order form!

Critically discuss the arguments for and against the use of fair Essay - 1

Critically discuss the arguments for and against the use of fair values in the preparation and presentation of financial statements. Cite literature to support your answer - Essay Example As the report explores financial statements need to be comparable from one year to the next and between one company and another. However, even though fair values may be said to be current and therefore more comparable, the fact that judgement need to be exercised brings subjectivity into play. In addition to that, those judgements on which investors and other stakeholders depend have their own agenda. In some cases they may exercise their judgement in such a way as to manipulate the accounts. This therefore brings us back to the reliability of the figures in the financial statements. This essay stresses that the arguments against fair value accounting appear to outnumber those in favour. Most of the arguments against essentially relate to the classification of financial instruments the fair value hierarchy. According to Ernest and Young the 2008 amendment of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) requires that the classification of financial instruments be recorded at fair value in a hierarchy consisting of three levels. The first levelrelates to quoted prices that have not been adjusted for identical assets and liabilities in active markets. The second level relates to input prices but excludes quoted prices which are included in the first level and which can be observed directly for assets and liabilities, in the form of prices or in the form of derived prices indirectly. The third level relates to both assets and liabilities that are not based on market data that can be observed.

(Criminal justice) Your Ethical System Assignment

(Criminal justice) Your Ethical System - Assignment Example It is considered morally right when people make choices that conform to what is expected, which in turn leads to the correct consequences. On the other hand, when they make the wrong choice, the consequences are negative, therefore, they are considered acting in an immorally manner. This essay will examine the teleological moral systems in the society as well as how these moral systems help people to make the right choices. The paper will conclude by indicating how the teleological ethical system influences the society. Teleological ethics is a theory of morality that originates its duties or moral obligation from what is deemed in the society as desirable or good as an end to be achieved. The teleological ethical system judges the penalties of the act rather than the act itself. In that, if the action results in what can be considered, as a good consequence, then it must be good as the results justify the reason the act was committed (Pollock, 2012). There are various teleological ethical systems in these theory and they include ethics of virtue, utilitarianism and ethics of care. Consequentialism refers to the impression that the moral value of an action is resolute by the magnitude of its action. The precise consequences are those that are beneficial to humanity as they promote happiness, human satisfaction, human pleasure, and welfare to all humans. The consequences of doing something that is morally right are intrinsically valuable and good; hence, the actions that point to those consequences are ethical while those actions that lead away from happiness are immoral. For example, in the society we live in there are laws that have been imposed to ensure that people act in ways that ensure that they do not infringe on the happiness of other people. Therefore, different teleological moral systems are diverge not only on the exact consequences are, but on how different people poise the numerous possible consequences. In that, few choices are

Wastewater Management Essay Example for Free

Wastewater Management Essay In this age of rising costs and depletion of natural resources due to over use by the ever growing population on our planet, it is absolutely essential that we find ways to recycle and conserve wherever possible. One way of doing this is by managing wastewater. The first step in the process replicates what occurs in nature; the only difference is that it is faster. In this initial step, called primary treatment, water is collected in huge tanks and the solid particles are allowed to settle by force of gravity while the remaining mixture is allowed to run off. This process removes about 60 percent of the suspended particles and is only suitable for irrigation of trees or other non consumable crops in remote areas. The secondary treatment is significantly different from the primary in that it involves the biological removal of the organic materials contained in the wastewater. The most common form is called activated sludge method, where the wastewater is placed in tanks which are aerated with oxygen to encourage the growth of microbes found in the waste. The microbes eat the organic matter and the solids are allowed to settle to the bottom. Trickling method is another option in the secondary treatment method. In this process tanks of coarse material are filled with rocks three to ten feet in depth. The rocks are used as surface area on which bacteria called biomass is allowed to grow. Next, a long arm-like distributor sprays the waste water in the air over the biomass, which feeds on the organic waste and allows the remaining liquid to trickle through the rocks. Here water is collected and then sedimentation is allowed to take place. The final method is known as Lagoons. In this method large ponds are used. Algae grows in the ponds and with the use of sunlight produces oxygen. The oxygen then is used by the microbes in wastewater to breakdown the organic material and the solids then settle at the bottom of the pond. After applying the primary and secondary methods the water then is treated with chlorine or other disinfectants. The tertiary treatment goes beyond what is done in the secondary treatment and can involve chemical, physical or biological processes to further remove contaminants, Tertiary processes include filtration, lagooning, nutrient removal and disinfection. Filtration is a common tertiary treatment method. Water is allowed to pass through sand or activated carbon, which allows the particles in water to stick to the filer material used and water to pass through. In some cases the excessive levels of nitrogen and phosphorous must be removed before releasing the water to the environment. If water is released into the environment without removal of these compounds, they can cause over growth of algae and other water plants which in turn can throw the ecosystem out of balance. Some wastewater treatment plants use one tertiary method others a combination of methods. There are many uses of reclaimed water, for example it can be used for irrigation, power generation, decorative fountains, fire control, aquifer recharge, cooling or other industrial processes. Reclaimed water contains nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and oxygen which help fertilize plants. The use of reclaimed water reduces pollution in areas which are sensitive. It cannot be used in swimming pools, or other places where it comes in contact with the body, cooking, drinking, or irrigation of herbs and vegetables. Recent studies show there may be a possible public health effect when using reclaimed water. It has been known for some time that treated wastewater effluent, or reclaimed water, contains pathogens that could be transferred to people through contact and some parasites are not killed by chlorination A water treatment plant in Lake Tahoe, California has been producing drinking quality water from wastewater and astronauts reclaim all their wastewater and use it for drinking. Using wastewater to recharge the water basin and using that for drinking is not an issue provided WHO guidelines for the quality of drinking water are maintained. This means that tertiary wastewater treatments will have to be used before the wastewater can be used to recharge the basin. Since this process is more expensive than secondary treatments, it may not be feasible in the long run.Using secondary wastewater treatments to recharge basins and using that for drinking poses health issues and is not advisable. REFENCES Primary Treatment. (2010). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved May 24, 2010, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Online: http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/476238/primary-treatment An Introduction and Comparison of Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Wastewater Treatment Methods. (2003-2010). Conjecture Corporation. Retrieved May 24, 2010, from http://www. brighthub. com/environment/science-environmental/articles/68537. aspx Using Wastewater as a resource. By Mark Shwartz. Woods Institute for the Environment Stanford University. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from http://woods. stanford. edu/cgi-bin/index. php. Asano T, Wassermann KL (1980). Groundwater recharge operations in California. Journal of the American Water Works Association, 72(7):380–385. Cotruvo JA (1988). Drinking water standards and risk assessment. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 8:288–299.

education Essay -- essays research papers

Rather than emphasizing on maintaining discipline in a classroom, classroom management would be more appropriate for an effective teacher. Discipline has two significant limitations such that discipline highlights the individual rather than the classroom and secondly it connotes negative behavior (352). Whereas classroom management is broadly defined as â€Å"all of those positive behaviors and decisions a teacher makes to facilitate the learning process of their students† also reiterating all of those â€Å"activities necessary to create and maintain an orderly learning environment† (352). The reason why creating an effective classroom management plan is essential is to create a positive and productive learning environment, be able to work and communicate with the students, â€Å"reduce the incidents of misbehavior† while maintaining student interest, motivation, and involvement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyone classroom is diverse since not one person is the same. Keeping this concept in mind, it is important to understand that everyone, primarily the students, have different cultural beliefs, values and attitudes. Some students may also come from a single parent home or may have their family going through a divorce. By understanding each student and their various cultural diversities, it will help the effective teacher produce a stronger level of communication with their students and encourage a productive learning environment. It is important to acknowledge each students differences and not ignore their needs outside the academic setting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With the focus of creating an effective classroom management plan, it is essential to define rules and implement them so they may be clearly and easily understood. While establishing rules it is important to remember that the goal is â€Å"to establish and maintain an effective learning environment† (361). While developing rules for the classroom, it is best that the list of rules be few yet clear and concise. â€Å"It is also important to involve the students in the development of these rules; this not only facilitates their understanding and ownership but also cultivates their sense of power and self-esteem† (362). The effective teacher will realize that by including students into the decision making process of their own classroom management, they are encouraging a more productive learning environment. ... ...ively enthusiastic in a classroom is important to engage student motivation. This can be implemented by showing interest in the subject matter being discussed and the teacher’s enthusiasm should reflect onto the students’. Organization is important to be developed in the classroom so that the students may carry the organizational skills outside the classroom and through out the rest of their lives. This can be implemented by having the students organize their desks at the end of every week and having a binder/notebook of their work shown to the teacher periodically which is organized according to the rules the teacher has established. Following through the rules is also important for the children because it is necessary that they have a consistent environment. The rules may be positively reinforced but this must be consistently done. It is a teacher’s role to have patience and with that the students will benefit the most. Finally, rules shall be implemented w ith respect, courtesy and listening on both ends of the spectrum. By showing the student that you, the teacher, has these qualities, they will realize that these are crucial in the proper development of a well-rounded student.

Refractive Indices of Water And Turpentine Oil Essay

To find Refractive Indices of Water And Turpentine Oil using a plane mirror, a equiconvex lens (made from a glass of known refractive index) and an adjustable object needle APPARATUS: A convex lens, an optical needle, a plane mirror, a clamp stand, a spherometer, a plumb line, metre scale, water and turpentine oil Theroy : Let’s add small amount of water on a flat, plane surface and place a convex lens over it. This forms a plano-concave lens of water between the lower surface of convex lens and plane mirror. Let f 1 and f 2 are the focal lengths of water lens and convex lens respectively, then focal length of the combination is: The focal length of the plano-concave lens is, †¦(i) From Lens Maker’s formula, =( R 1 = R and R 2 = for water lens. The refractive index of water is , †¦(ii) (where ‘R’ is the radius of curvature of the concave surfaces of the plano-concave lens). The Radius of curvature of the lens, is  Ã¢â‚¬ ¦(iii) PROCEDURE †¢ For finding the focal length of convex lens: †¢ Measure the rough focal length of the convex lens. †¢ Place the plane mirror with the convex lens placed on it above the horizontal base of a clamp stand horizontally as its tip lies vertically above the optical centre of the lens. Adjust the needle at a height a little more than the rough focal length of the convex lens. †¢ Try to remove the parallax between the tip of the object needle and its image tip. †¢ Note the distance of the tip of the needle from the centre of the upper surface of the lens. Let it be x 1. (Use plumb line). †¢ Remove the convex lens and measure the distance of the tip of the needle from the plane mirror. Let it be x 2 . (Use plumb line). 2 (vi) Repeat and record all the observations. †¢ For finding the focal length of the plano-concave lens: Pour few drops of water over the plane mirror and place the convex lens over it. Repeat steps (ii) to (iv) as done above.Repeat the procedure with turpentine oil also. †¢ For finding ‘l’: Determine the pitch and least count of scale of the spherometer. Place the spherometer on the dried surface of the convex lens. Turn the screw downwards very gently till the tip of the screw just touches the lens. Read and record the reading. Keep the spherometer’s legs on the base of a paper and adjusting the central screw, find the pricks A, B and C of the three legs of the spherometer. Join the centres of the three pricks and measure the lengths with the half-metre scale. Note the values of AB, BC and AC Conclusion Pitch of the spherometer= 1 cm Least count of the spherometer = 0.01 cm Distance between the legs: †¢ AB = 3 cm †¢ BC = 3 cm CA = 3 cm S.No Initial reading of the C.S. on the convex lens (a) No. of complete rotations (n) Final reading of the c.s on the glass slab Additional C.S div. moved h=n x pitch + m x L.C Mean â€Å"h† 1 62 0 6.5 55.5 0.555 0.5775 2 64 0 4 60 0.6 Aim is to find the refractive index of a) water, b) coconut oil using a plane mirror, and an equiconvex lens made of glass and an adjustable object needle. The theory behind liquid lens is based on the properties of one or more liquids to create magnifications within a small amount of space.The focus of a liquid lens is controlled by the surface of the liquid .Water normally forms a bubble shape when adhered to materials such as glass.This desirable property makes water a very suitable candidate for the production of liquid lens.Essentially the liquid must be transparent so as to study its effects. To generate a liquid lens , a liquid is sandwiched between two pieces of a clear plastic or a glass. Oil (necessarily transparent) can also be chosen to be used as a fluid in a liquid lens system. The surface profiles of the liquid determines the focal length of liquid lens system and how the liquid lens focusses light rays. Theory: In optics, refractive index or index of refraction ‘n’ of a substance (optical medium) is a dimensionless number that describes how light or any radiation propagates through that medium.It is defined as n = c/v where’ c’ is the speed of light in vaccum and ‘v’ is the speed of light in a substance. Eg : ‘n’ of water is 1.33, which means, light travels 1.33 times as fast in vaccum as it does in water. The historically first occurance of refractive index was in Snell’s law of refraction. ie are the angles of incidence of the ray crossing the interface between 2 medias with refractive indeces n_1 and n_2. In this project, we shall make use of the property of liquid lens to find the refractive index of water and coconut oil. Requirements A convex lens, plane mirror, water, coconut oil, an optical needle, an iron stand with base and clamp arrangement, a meter scale etc†¦. Procedure : †¢ Finding the focal length of convex lens:- †¢ Place the plane mirror with the convex lens placed on it above the horizontal base of a clamp stand horizontally as its tip lies vertically above the optic centre of the lens. Adjust the needle at a height a little more than the rough focal length of the convex lens. †¢ Bring the tip of the needle, at the vertical principal axis of the lens, so that the tip of the needle appears touching the tip of its image. †¢ Move the needle up and down to remove the parallax between tips of needle and its image. †¢ Measure the distance between tip of the needle and upper surface of the lens by using a meter scale. Let it be (x1 ). †¢ Again measure the distance between tip and upper surface of the plane mirror. Let it be x2 †¢ Finding the focal length of the combination: †¢ Take a few drops of the given transparent liquid and place it on the surface of plane mirror. The convex lens is placed over it as before. (A plano concave lens is formed between plane mirror and convex lens). †¢ Repeat the steps (ii) to (v) †¢ Record the observations. †¢ To find the radius of curvature of the liquid lens. (R of convex lens surface in contact). The convex lens is turned towards a source such that, the required surface is away from the source the distance is to adjusted that the image is, formed on the side of the source. The distance ‘d’ between the source and the lens is measured. The radius of curvature ‘R’ of the lens is given by Finally the refractive index of liquid lens is given by. n = 1+ R/f2 Result : The observations of the experiment is tabulated as follows Precautions †¢ The parallax must be removed tip to tip properly. †¢ The lens and plane mirror should be cleaned thouroughly. †¢ The liquid taken should be essentially transparent. Only few drops of liquid should be taken so that the liquid lens layer is not thick Sources of error : †¢ Liquid may not be quite transparent †¢ The parallax any not be fully removed †¢ The needle may not be properly horizontal The distance x1 and x2 may not be essentially clean The experiment described in this project is an effective and simple method of measuring the refractive index of any liquid (transparent) using a convex lens and plane mirror. If we keep the mirror behind a lens and put an object at the focus point of the lens above it, the image of the object will form at the same focus point where the object is. If it is an extended object, its image will be inverted and the size of image is same as that of the object. This property has enabled the efficient use of liquid lens to find the refractive index of a fluid by this method. If a liquid is sandwiched between the lens and the mirror, the focal length of liquid lens can be calculated knowing the focal length of the combination and that of the convex lens, from which the refractive index of the fluid can easily be estimated.

Alcohol addiction in families is the main cause of family breakups

Alcohol has in the recent past become one of the major leading drug killers in most past of the world.   Alcohol addiction refers to cases where a person feels a compulsive need to take alcohol to help his or her body system to perform its normal tasks.A person is said to be addicted to alcohol when he or she cannot contain or limit alcohol drinking and any such attempts leads to withdrawal symptoms such as shakiness, anxiety and nausea.In the past, only â€Å"hard† drugs like cocaine, mandrax and heroine were thought to be hazardous to the health of an individual. However in the recent past, tobacco, caffeine and alcohol have also been categorized as drugs. These are usually used by many individuals around the world thus meaning that most of the people in the world are exposed to drugs regularly.However, these drugs are used in moderation by a majority of these people thus reducing any forms of negative effects which arises from drug abuse. Alcohol is very addictive and a m ajor cause of different health hazards to an individual. Alcohol addiction has also been attributed as a leading cause of family breakups and divorce especially in the western countries. Family addiction to alcohol especially by the parents has dire consequences on marriage as well as the children (Dunlap, para 4).Hypothesis: Alcohol addiction in families is the main cause of family breakups, divorce and poor academic performance of children as well as drug abuse by young adults and also a leading killer in the United States as well as other parts of the world.Alcohol addiction in families and its effectsIn America for example, alcohol has been ranked the third cause of deaths with more than 100,000 people dying from alcohol related complications. It also costs the region about $ 150 billion annually which is lost through treatment of alcohol related complications, lost productivity, accidents and crime. It has also been the leading cause of the rising divorce cases in America as we ll as domestic violence.It is estimated that more than 14 million Americans struggle with drinking problem with about 8 million of these people being addicted to alcohol. While in the past alcohol was only being taken by men, this trend have changed with more women are becoming alcoholics. Alcohol is one of the most addictive drugs which have the potential of producing long term effects which could be devastating and terminal (Goodwin, pp 56).  In the recent past, the rate of alcohol related cases of divorce have increased in most parts of the world. However, since most of the addicts of alcohol start out as responsible drinkers, it has been hard to know when a person begins to be addicted to alcohol until it is sometimes too late. Alcohol addiction has been of rate among the top ten causes of divorce alongside infidelity and domestic violence.Alcoholism and alcohol addiction is one of the most cited reasons while filing for divorce cases in the United States as well as other coun tries around the world. Spouses who have lived long enough with alcohol addicts find it hard to continue supporting them especially due to the addictive nature of alcohol and the subsequent withdrawal symptoms which follow in attempts to stop alcohol consumption (Brian, para 4).Another effect of family alcohol addiction is that it leads to loss of livelihood of the addicted individual which usually leads to adverse effects on the family especially if the addicted person is the breadwinner. Usually, people who become addicted to alcohol find it difficult to live without it and in turn end up drinking even when working.Alcohol has been known to be a brain damager and excess consumption of the same lowers productivity of an individual hence job loss. Most of the parents who become addicted to alcohol end up losing their jobs which is devastating to the family and more so the children who lack basic necessities. Even after job loss, an addicted person continues to drink for the simple r eason that he or she cannot live without alcohol which only adds to the misery and disintegration of families.Also, the frustration and shame which comes with being unable to support a family drives a person to chronic consumption of alcohol which may lead to health complications or even at times death. This has far reaching psychological effects to the dependants of such a person. Also, a person who is addicted to alcohol becomes dependent on other family members thus increasing the family burden (Cleveland Clinic, para 2-3).Children who are reared by alcohol addicted parents are also not spared as they tend to engage in drug abuse or criminal activities to fill the void of their parents or guardians. Researches have revealed that most of the children in the rehabilitation centers have had a parent who engaged in and was addicted to alcohol.This is especially the case when both of the parents are addicted to alcohol. In such situations, children only find consolation in drug abuse as the parents are unavailable for them. With an attempt to escape the reality, children may also turn to alcohol or even other hard drugs like cocaine or heroine. The lives of such children end up being ruined just because of their parents’ addiction to alcoholism (Brian, para 6).Family addiction to alcohol is also a major contribution toward academic failure of many children. Alcohol addiction mostly of parents and other close family members affects the psychological development of an individual as well as the concentration capability.Alcohol addicts at times tend to be violent and unruly towards their family members including the children. This is in turn reflected in the academic performance of such children which is usually below the standard. Also, the social life of the children is negatively impacted by alcohol addiction in families.Children who hail from families with some members who are addicted to alcohol tend to be anti social and uncooperative. Psychologist argu e that this scenario is caused by the shame and frustration such children are put through by their alcohol addicted parents or siblings. They thus fear to associate as they feel that the other people may disown them or even discriminate them (Segal, Gerdes & Steiner, pp 235).Family alcohol addiction has been identified as a leading factor to domestic violence and other domestic related crimes like murder. Due to anger and frustration that most alcohol addicts go through especially after a divorce or loss of job, they tend to be aggressive and violent towards the other family members as a means of vetting out their frustrations. Most alcohol addicts also tend to live in denial and they blame their partners or at times the children for their failures.Most alcohol addicts also blame the family members as being the cause of their drinking habits. As they vet out their anger, they tend to be violent and may even commit murder leading to their subsequent incarceration. This leads to doubl e tragedy especially where parents either both or one are victims of alcohol addiction. Alcohol addiction is very costly to the family members as well as friends.In a recent study which was carried out in the United States, it showed that one child out to four children and this is approximately 28.6% is exposed to family alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse. There are many documented cases which correlate alcohol addiction and interpersonal violence (Adams, para 4).

Poinsettia pH Paper - Holiday Chemistry Project

Poinsettia pH Paper - Holiday Chemistry Project Many plants contain pigments that are responsive to changes in acidity. An example is the poinsettia plant, which has colored flowers (really specialized leaves called bracts). Although poinsettias are perennials in warmer climates, most people are likely to see them used as a decorative houseplant over the winter holidays. You can extract the red pigment from deeply colored poinsettias and use it to make your own pH paper strips to test whether a liquid is an acid or a base. Poinsettia pH Paper Materials Poinsettia flowersBeaker or cupHot plate or boiling waterScissors or a blenderFilter paper or coffee filters0.1 M HClVinegar (dilute acetic acid)Baking soda solution (2 g / 200 mL water)0.1 M NaOH Procedure Cut flower petals into strips or chop them in a blender. Place the cut pieces into a beaker or cup.Add just enough water to cover the plant material. Simmer until the color is removed from the plant. (Personally, I would just microwave the chopped bracts with a little water for about a minute and allow the mixture to steep, like a tea.)Filter the liquid into another container, such as a petri dish. Discard the plant matter.Saturate clean filter paper with the poinsettia solution. Allow the filter paper to dry. You can cut the colored paper with scissors to make pH test strips.Use a dropper or toothpick to apply a little liquid to a test strip. The color range for acids and bases will depend on the particular plant. If you like, you can construct a chart of pH and colors using liquids with a known pH so that you can then test unknowns. Examples of acids include hydrochloric acid (HCl), vinegar, and lemon juice. Examples of bases include sodium or potassium hydroxide (NaOH or KOH) and baking soda solution. Another way to use your pH paper is as a color-change paper. You can draw on pH paper using a toothpick or cotton swab that has been dipped in an acid or base. The instructions for the poinsettia pH paper project are also available in French.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Quotes

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Quotes Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis  (full name Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis and often called Jackie Kennedy when she was First Lady) brought a youthful elegance to the White House during her tenure there. Briefly a photographer before her marriage to John F. Kennedy, and an editor after she was widowed for the second time when Aristotle Onassis died, she was mother to John F. Kennedy, Jr., and Caroline Kennedy (Schlossberg). Onassis was born in 1929 to the wealthy Bouvier family. She studied French literature at George Washington University before starting her photography career. Like many women, she left her career behind to marry her first husband, John F. Kennedy, and became one of the most iconic First Ladies during his presidency. She remarried in 1968, five years after Kennedys assassination, and remained married to shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis until his 1975 death. After her second husbands death, she returned to her professional career, becoming a book editor, first at Viking Press, then at Doubleday. She also advocated for historic preservation and was lightly involved in Democratic politics in her later years. Throughout her life, she was looked upon as a style icon, and still is to this day. In 1994, she died aged 64 of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Quotes About Marriage and Family If you bungle raising your children, I dont think whatever else you do well matters very much. There are many little ways to enlarge your childs world. Love of books is the best of all. Ill be a wife and mother first, then First Lady. What is sad for women of my generation is that they werent supposed to work if they had families. What were they going to do when the children are grown - watch the raindrops coming down the window pane? The one thing I do not want to be called is First Lady. It sounds like a saddle horse. Can anyone understand how it is to have lived in the White House and then, suddenly, to be living alone as the Presidents widow? (1974, in McCalls) Now, I think that I should have known that [Kennedy] was magic all along. I did know it - but I should have guessed that it would be too much to ask to grow old with and see our children grow up together. So now, he is a legend when he would have preferred to be a man. I dont think there are any men who are faithful to their wives. The first time you marry for love, the second for money, and the third for companionship. I think the best thing I can do is to be a distraction. A husband lives and breathes his work all day long. If he comes home to more table thumping, how can the poor man ever relax? Quotes About Career An Editor becomes kind of your mother. You expect love and encouragement from an Editor. (while Editor at Doubleday) Being a reporter seems a ticket out to the world. When Harvard men say they have graduated from Radcliffe, then weve made it. I always wanted to be some kind of writer or newspaper reporter. But after college... I did other things. Quotes About Life Even though people may be well known, they hold in their hearts the emotions of a simple person for the moments that are the most important of those we know on earth: birth, marriage and death. I want to live my life, not record it. There are two kinds of women: those who want power in the world, and those who want power in bed. Being away from home gave me the chance to look at myself with a jaundiced eye. I learned not to be ashamed of a real hunger for knowledge, something I had always tried to hide, and I came home glad to start in here again with a love for Europe that I am afraid will never leave me.

The Worldliness of English in Saudi Arabia Dissertation

The Worldliness of English in Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example Researchers who look at the spread of English as mere linguistic imperialism question the enterprise of learning and teaching of the English language. This is because, from their viewpoint, it has the cultural integrity of the non-native speaker compromised. In order for a language instructor to come into terms with the imposition of English language learning culturally is to utilize the practices of ELT that define and position English as an international language (EIL). In my point of view, the alternative perpetuates the negative impact that learning a foreign language can pose to the cultural integrity of the learner. Linguistic imperialism is a concept of linguistics involving a transfer, to other people, of a dominant language. This transfer is often associated with power demonstration. This could be military power or even economic power. Dominant cultures are often transferred together with the language. According to Brutt-Griffler (2002), the theory of linguistic imperialism has magnetized much attention among applied linguistic scholars. This has resulted in much debate especially on the shortcomings and merits of the theory. Brutt-Griffler stated linguistic imperialism denunciations to the analyses of English as the language of world domination and world capitalism. Generally, linguistic imperialism is usually viewed in the perspective of cultural imperialism.  

Yellow Fever Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Yellow Fever - Essay Example It is similar to the â€Å"West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus† (CDC 2010, section ‘Yellow fever virus transmission’). The virus is spread by mosquitoes in tropical regions of South America and Africa (CDC 2010, PHAC 2010, PubMed Health 2009, WHO 1993, WHO 2011). It replicates inside the mosquito (WHO 1993) and after being bitten by an infected mosquito, symptoms usually occur within three to six days (CDC 2010, PubMed Health 2009, WHO 2011). There is no treatment of yellow fever, but the focus is on symptom management and vaccination (WHO 2011). Many difference species of the Haemogogus and Aedes mosquitoes are vectors or hosts that act as a vessel to spread the flavivirus that causes yellow fever (WHO 2011). It can be transferred between monkeys, between people, and from monkeys to humans (WHO 2011). Mosquitoes can be classified as domestic, wild, or semi-domestic and there are three main transmission cycles (CDC 2010, PHAC 2010, WHO 2011). In the first cycle known as the sylvatic yellow fever (or jungle), monkeys are infected by mosquitoes who then pass on the virus to mosquitoes that bite them.

Weekly Discussionborad6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weekly Discussionborad6 - Assignment Example It is however evident that the elders avoided talking on matters of sexuality. This was mostly because they did not want the teenagers to ask questions that dwelled further into the matter (Kara 7). This however has consequences because the children seek to explore on their own hence face consequences at the end. The director brings this out by showing how Moritz is disturbed by the dream he has been having at night (Kara 8). For the teenagers to understand what they are facing, Melchior is in the play to make things easier for them. He is very knowledgeable from the books he has read and therefore tells them about the puberty changes they are experiencing. Martha who faces sexual abuses from her father decides to tell her friends about her ordeal. She however tells them not to tell anyone because even her mother cares less about her. This shows the position of the female gender in the society, they girl child is neglected and the father does as he pleases. Wendla then seeks to find out what her friend goes through when her father abuses her. In one instance where she meets Melchior, her costumes look very appealing and after talking about the time when they kissed, they end up having sex. This makes her get pregnant and all relates to her ignorance. This is because her mother lied to her about where children came from. Her mother then tells her to have an abortion and she dies in the process (Kara 8).This shows that it was against the customs for young girls to get pregnant and her mother was afraid of what people will say. The general setting made me have a personal touch with the play because it looked so real. The background of the theater had black backdrops that seem to illustrate the sad happenings in the society. Such ordeals are like the death of Wendla as well as Moritz. Wendla dies due to abortion whereas Moritz shoots himself (Veit). The songs that they sung as the play unfolded related closely to what was

Employee Motivation Elements in Job Design

Employee Motivation Elements in Job Design Introduction Background It is obvious that the world is in constant change process. Markets are growing and becoming more competitive and dynamic. According to Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (online), the systems and methods that once were effective to hold organisations together are now more likely to prevent communication and demotivate employees. Managers now need to take account of the changing attitudes and expectations of employees. They need to find new ways to organising work so that it allows more flexibility and brings motivation and job satisfaction to employees. Robinson, I. (2006) argues that motivated employees produce higher levels of performance, are more enthusiastic and committed to the organisation. They are willing to use their skills, participate and contribute to the benefit of the company. By contrast, demotivated employees are likely to be apathetic and to have higher levels of absence. It is self evident that organisational performance is likely to be greater with motivated and engaged employees. The concept of job design opens a new perspective to creating a more favourable work environment in which motivated employees will improve and enhance organisational performance. Aims Objectives This projects objectives are the following: To identify those specific factors / elements which are considered / used when designing job. To establish which job design factors motivate employees. To establish whether a relationship exists between employee motivation and the quality of job performance. The purpose of my research is fundamentally to find out whether the following hypothesis is true: H1. The aspects of job design improve employee motivation and lead to improved employee performance. Answering the following questions will help to research into my topic as well as either prove or disprove the hypothesis I have put forward. These are the following: What is job design? What is the difference between Mechanistic and Motivational approaches in job design? Are motivation and job performance inter-related? What are the factors of Motivational approach that improve employee motivation? What is the role of IT in job design? Such a study aims offer insight into the changes going around and a basis for managers for reflecting on how best reorganise work to improve performance. Preliminary literature review There is a wealth of literature covering the topic of my research hypothesis. My study of the literature will start with the key question of what job design is and how it impacts employee performance. I will then compare two different approaches, mechanistic approach and motivational approach in job design and assess the role of IT in this context. Jobs are created by people for people. Whether deliberately or by default, choices are made about which tasks to group together to form a job, the extent to which job holders should follow prescribed procedures in completing those tasks, how closely the job incumbent will be supervised, and numerous other aspects of the work. Such choices are the essence of job design, which may thus be defined as the specification of the content and methods of jobs (Wall and Clegg, 1998:265-268). Background to job design Mechanistic approach The concept of job design was first used in the late nineteenth century when industrialists such as Taylor or Ford first introduced a scientific approach in management practices (CIPD, online). Their approach consisted of defining clear job roles, suggesting that workers required specific tasks and boundaries to enable organisation to become more productive, effective and efficient. The principle of this approach is that a job is broken down into small and simple tasks that can be easily learned and performed. It is assumed that it makes the production more efficient (Business Dictionary, online). It aims to achieve maximum job fragmentation to minimise skills requirement and job learning time. Taylor (1914) was one of the first to develop the idea of time and motion studies to identify the most efficient movements during a work task. Workers were selected and trained to perform their jobs using Taylors approach and were offered monetary incentive to ensure that they performed to the ir maximum efficiency. Bloisi (2007) argues that the problem with this approach to job design is that it is too preoccupied with the productivity and ignores the workers social needs. According to Pickard (2006, in CIPD), in the 1960s, the focus shifted from hard, process-oriented approach to job design emphasizing social behavioural perspective of employees. While scientific management aimed on achieving organisational effectiveness through task fragmentation, during the middle part of the twentieth century, there was recognition that motivation would influence organisational performance. The work of Maslow and McGregor advocated that job design could be heavily influenced by understanding and responding to the motivations of individuals. However, it was Herzbergs two-factor theory of motivation and the concept of job enrichment that was to shape the development of job design during the second half of the last century (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2002). Motivational approach This new approach, called human relations approach (Bloisi, 2007) stems from the assumption that jobs can be designed to stimulate employee motivation and increase job satisfaction. Herzberg (1993, in Bloisi, 2007) asked two questions: What makes you feel good about your work? and What makes you feel bad? From the answers received, Herzberg concluded that the job satisfaction was one of the key elements of motivational job design. In his two-factor theory he identified hygiene factors and motivator factors. Hygiene factors are referred to practices at work that would cause dissatisfaction, but if corrected would not motivate (i.e. salary, organisations policies, administration and supervision). For example, if an employee were given a laptop computer to do his job, it may stop him to be unhappy because of the lack of the IT, but he would not be motivated to work harder. On the other hand, motivator factors, such as achievement, advancement, growth, recognition, responsibility and wor k itself, tend to create satisfaction and positive attitude and discretionary effort of employees (Robinson, 2006). The impact of job design on employee performance From the studies of motivator factors, different job design models were developed, such as Hackman and Oldhams (1980, in Bloisi, 2007). They developed a job characteristics model that identified the motivational factors of a job from the following aspects: Skills variety the variety of skills needed to complete the task. Task identity how much of the complete product or service is completed by the worker; how much they feel they have ownership of the task. Task significance how important is the task to the lives of others. Autonomy how much of decision-making role the person has while doing a job. Feedback how much feedback an employee is given about their job performance. The Figure 1 below shows how job characteristics described above impact on critical psychological states of employees, therefore improving their job satisfaction and performance. Core job Critical psychological Outcomes characteristics states Skill variety Job identity Job significance Job autonomy Feedback from job Meaningfulness of work Responsibility for work outcomes Knowing the actual results of the work activities Less absenteeism Less turnover High satisfaction High motivation High quality work performance Figure 1. Job characteristics model. Source: Adopted from Hackman and Oldham (1980: 77). It can be seen from the diagram above that when the critical psychological states are high, then employees will have a high level of internal work motivation. This leads to a greater productivity and helps create competitive advantage through people. During the 1990s an increased emphasis on employee empowerment led to high discretion models characterised by individual job enrichment and self-managing teamwork (Huczynski and Buchanan 2001, in CIPD online). Herzberg (Accel, online) suggested the following for the job enrichment: Lessen the control and retain accountability at the same time; Increase personal accountability for work; Grant additional autonomy and authority to employees; Make company reports available to all employees and not only to managers; Introduce new and more challenging tasks into the job; Encourage the enrichment of skills and expertise by assigning employees to specialized tasks. This approach aims to involve employees in decision-making processes, planning, organisation and control of work. An example of this can be through self-managed teams, where workers are given a goal to achieve but it is their teams that decide how tasks are allocated to achieve their goal. Job rotation can also be used as part of the motivational approach; here, employees are moved from one job to another over time (Bloisi, 2007). When job rotation is used, most of the jobs tend to be similar. However, it can increase skills variety and help boost job identity. The Figure 2 illustrates how job redesign can improve work and make it more meaningful. After the redesign of the cashiers jobs, their new jobs were found to be more motivating and as a result their job performance increased significantly. Before job redesign After job redesign Cashiers cashed cheques, processed deposits and payments for bills Business customers were referred to a business advisers Foreign currency transaction were referred to another cashier Auditors ensured transactions balanced Errors were notified to cashiers No feedback on workload No records were kept on who did the transactions Cashiers handled all aspects of the transaction for both business customers and foreign currency Feedback on errors available immediately Feedback on volume displayed on a computer screen Cashiers signed their names to each transaction so they were recognised as taking responsibility for their work Figure 2. How job redesign can make work more efficient and meaningful. Source: Bloisi (2007: 84). Research has shown that if work is seen as meaningful and important to the individual then they are likely to be more committed to the organisation and more productive. The role of IT in job design Developments in technology and increased use of the Internet open a new perspective in organisation and job design. Many employers are developing flexible working patterns using latest technological advances. There are great advantages as well as drawbacks to it. Here are some examples of how employer and employees can benefit of IT: Employees are encouraged to work more flexibly: it means they can work from home. Employees can save money and time on travelling to work. Although employees are physically absent at work, employers can always contact them either by mobile phone or email. Apart from that, organisations safe a huge amount of money on property costs, when some of the workforce is based at home. Disadvantages of using developed communication technologies at work: Employees are no longer able to switch off from work: they work outside their habitual nine-to five hours. It can lead to increased employee stress and dissatisfaction, which ultimately leads to less productive work. Despite these obvious disadvantages, the benefits of the use of the communication technology are major. As stated in Bloisi (2007), British Telecom encourages staff to work more flexibly. Following a workstyle analysis it now has 7500 of its workforce formally based at home and another 40,000 have remote access. Not only has it saved  £180 million in property costs, but also improved productivity by 20-40 per cent. The example above illustrates how flexible working in job design can act as a significant motivator contributing to employee well-being and improved productivity. Methodology Approach to my research scope The scope of my research is to explore the impact of job design on employee motivation and improved performance as its result. This is reflected in my research topic and hypothesis. This topic is of my own interest. Basically the research consists of the following three sequential parts: Job design Æ’Â   Employee motivation Æ’Â   Improved performance My research objectives and questions are designed in a way so that they first explore what job design is; secondly, how it can motivate people (Herzberg theory above); thirdly, I studied the model of Hackman and Oldham about the impact of employee motivation on the quality of their task performance (please see above). Research methodology Definition: Pattron (2009, online) defined research methodology as a highly intellectual human activity used in the investigation of nature and matter and deals specifically with the manner in which data is collected, analysed and interpreted. Secondary data collection method I have conducted a preliminary literature review to investigate what other authors write about my research topic. All findings in my literature review are meant to serve as a base for comparison with the results of primary data collection. The comparison between the two will help to either prove or disprove my research hypothesis. Theory Hypothesis Primary Research Conclusions The approach I have adopted for my research is deductive and can be represented in the diagram as follows: Figure 3. Deductive Research Approach. Primary data collection method Written questionnaire is the method I have chosen to collect the data. The type of my questionnaire is the Likert Scale (PHS, online) where I have given a scale to indicate the strength of agreement to statements (please see a sample of my questionnaire in the Appendix 2 below). The advantage of this type of questionnaire is that it is easier and faster for the recipient to complete and also allows direct comparability to answers as well as to assess the feelings of the respondents towards issues. This method ascribes quantitative value to qualitative data, makes it amendable to statistical analysis. A numerical value is assigned to each potential choice and the final average score represents overall level of accomplishment or attitude toward the subject matter. This questionnaire is targeted on sample population. Sample population is a number of homogenous respondents who share important characteristics e.g. all employed and working in a relatively big companies, rather than self-employed or working in small private businesses. It is essential to make the data comparable as well as to make conclusions meaningful (PHS, online). Accordingly, I distributed my questionnaires to a number of people working in different organisations but which had one same characteristic employed and working in medium size businesses. Approach to analysis and interpretation of data The theories in the literature review above (Hackman and Oldhams Job Characteristics model) have confirmed my research hypothesis which states that there is a link between job design, employee motivation and improved performance. In order to test this theory, I designed my primary data collection (questionnaire: questions 1 to 15) so that it fits the following formula: Motivating Potential Score MPS = Skill Variety + Task Identity + Task Significance x Autonomy x Feedback 3 Source: Hackman Oldham, 1980:90 in Bloisi, 2007. This formula is a summary of Hackman and Oldhams Job Characteristics model. It measures the overall potential of a job, or Job Satisfaction. It is calculated by taking the average of Skill variety plus Task identity plus Task significance and then multiplying that Average by Autonomy and Feedback. The outcome of jobs with high MPS will be high quality work performance and high worker satisfaction (Hackman Oldham in Bloisi, 2007). I created additional 12 questions, 16 to 27, to identify strong feeling of employee engagement. Results from this part of the questionnaire would show a strong correlation between high scores and superior job performance. All answers are accumulated and represented in the table in the Appendix 1 below. For each of the agree answers 1 point, and for each of disagrees 0 point is ascribed. The averages are calculated as well as MPSs for individual questionnaires. Conclusions The objective if this research was to investigate into the impact of job design on employee motivation and performance. The results of the primary data should either prove or disprove the statement made in the research hypothesis. The research was based on 5 dimensions that according to Hackman and Oldham (1980) would help to analyse how jobs were designed. The highest score for the Variable 1 (average 1.93) showed that the majority of the respondents agreed to a certain degree with the statement that their jobs require the variety of skills and abilities. Whereas Task significance and Autonomy had the lowest scores (Appendix 1). MPS has revealed which of these dimensions, that impact total Motivating Potential of a job, can be redesigned so that employees feel more motivated. Additional questions on job performance (16 to 27 and referred as Variable 6 in the Appendix 1), showed the result for the quality of job performance (average score 7.8 out of 12 questions). The research has revealed that job performance score is far greater at those jobs which had higher scores for Task variety, Task significance and Feedback. Therefore, we can conclude that if a job is well designed, people feel more satisfied and motivated which results in improved performance. Thus, our research hypothesis has proven to be true. Timescale Key tasks with milestones plotted along a time line

12 Angery Men :: essays research papers

The movie Twelve Angry Men begins with an eighteen year old boy from the ghetto who is on trial for the murder of his abusive father. A jury of twelve men are locked in the deliberation room to decide the fate of the young boy. All evidence is against the boy and a guilty verdict would send him to die in the electric chair. The judge informs the jurors that they are faced with a grave decision and that the court would not entertain any acts of mercy for the boy if found guilty. Even before the deliberation talks begin it is apparent most of the men are certain the boy is guilty. However, when the initial poll is taken Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) registers a shocking not guilty vote. Immediately the room is in uproar. The rest of the jury resents the inconvenient of his decision. After questioning his sanity they hastily decide to humor the juror #8 (Henry Fonda) by agreeing to discuss the trial for one hour. Eventually, as the talks proceed juror #8 slowly undermines their confidence by saying that the murder weapon is widely available to anyone, and that the testimony of the key witness is suspect. Gradually they are won over by his arguments and even the most narrow minded of his fellow jurors hesitantly agrees with him. Their verdict is now a solid not guilty. Arriving at a unanimous not guilty verdict does not come easily. The jury encounters many difficulties in learning to communicate and deal with each other. What seems to be a decisive guilty verdict as deliberations begin slowly becomes a questionable not sure. Although the movie deals with issues relating to the process of effective communication this paper will focus of two reasons why they encounter difficulties and how they overcome them. First, we will apply the Johari grid theory and see how it applies to their situation. Then, we will see how each individual's frame of reference and prejudices effect their perception which cause difficulties in the communication process. If we analyze the Johari grid of each juror we see a large hidden area in the case of all of the men. Take into consideration, referred to by juror numbers only they do not even have the benefit of knowing their names. These men have never talked before. Each of them come from different situations with

How Titan Armoured Vehicle Launch Bridge Can Benefit Indonesian Army Engineers

AN ESSAY ON HOW TITAN ARMOURED VEHICLE LAUNCH BRIDGE CAN BENEFIT INDONESIAN ARMY ENGINEERS By Captain Yaenurendra Hasmoro Aryo Putro INTRODUCTION 1. Several characteristics of Indonesia’s environment seem to be considerable in determining the role of Indonesian Army Engineers (IAEs). Firstly, terrain that is predominantly seashore area with lots of volcanoes on every big island. Secondly, the large number of rivers in Indonesia including around 500 both large and small.Thirdly, the high risk of natural disasters caused by 128 active volcanoes and the location of its islands ‘on the edges of the Pacific, Eurasian and Australian tectonic plates’. Those three characteristics combine to give irregular but frequent supporting tasks for IAEs whether in calm normal situations or chaotic post-disaster evacuation ones. Many of these requirements need to be met only with bridging efforts. Hence, it is logical to deduce that Indonesian military engineers need a strong, yet r apid capability in bridging.One of the options is to possess a quantity of Titan Armoured Vehicle Launch Bridge (Titan AVLB). 2. This essay will briefly nominate the prerequisite of utilizing Titan AVLB as one of the main bridging vehicle in IAEs. CURRENT BRIDGING CAPABILITIES 3. The main task with which IAEs are burdened is to support the manoeuvre of infantries in the battlefield including to facilitate either river/lake or other gap crossing . Even, in the peace time IAEs frequently play a role in supporting low level development of the country as well as to contribute to rehabilitation efforts in disasters.To carry out this particular function, IAEs are equipped with three kinds of bridging systems: Bailey bridge, Acrow panel bridge, and pontoon bridge. Most of the combat engineer Battalions are resourced with Bailey bridges. Only a small number of battalions have the resources of Acrow panel bridges. Meanwhile, pontoon bridges can be found only in the training centre. Whilst th ose structures have been used effectively in many situations, nevertheless, there are several short-falls. The mentioned bridging structures are all heavyweight ones. For example, it needs more than 34 tonnes of materials to construct a triple-single Bailey ridge which can only connect 22 metres gap. The next problem is in transporting such a heavy materials. Another difficulty is with the time consumed and man power required to erect these bridge structures. The process of launching either a Bailey or Acrow panel bridges would previously take up to 1 platoon of soldiers to push the panels one by one. Nowadays, powerful heavy equipment (dozer, crane, etc) can be employed. Also, whilst the heavyweight problem is not the case for pontoon bridges, nevertheless, time and manpower are still complexities. 4.Facing this set of disadvantages, it seems that there has been little research published on the effort to substitute or at least strengthen the bridging capability of IAEs. Even in the training centre, other options of alternative bridge system are not yet introduced. SUITABILITY OF THE TITAN ARMOURED VEHICLE LAUNCH BRIDGE (AVLB) 5. AVLB is an armoured vehicle equipped with a set of folded bridge spans that can be launched and retrieved mechanically. There are various types of AVLB used by several countries. The focus in this essay will be on the Titan AVLB which is a most recent type. . The Royal United Kingdom Engineers (RE) is one of the national institutions using Titan AVLB. The RE explain that the Titan AVLB is modified from the ‘Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (MBT) chassis’. This kind of bridge was drafted to connect up to 60 metres of space by laying an assortment of three close support bridges. The AVLB operates in improved ‘ground manoeuvre formations’ which will enable dealing with an assortment of earth terrain. The other important thing is the short time required to lay the bridges. This vehicle can launch bridge no. 10 (26 m etres) in two minutes.It can also carry and lay two of no. 12 bridge (13. 5 metres) in 90 seconds. 7. Pictures and specification of the Titan AVLB are shown below. Titan Armoured Vehicle Launcher Bridge (AVLB) Specifications Weight (Estimated)62,500kg CarriesCarries BR-90 Close Support Bridges: No. 10 (length 26 m, span 21-24. 5 m); No. 11 (length 16 m, span 14. 5m); & No. 12 (length 13. 5 m, span 12 m) Road Speed59kmh Road Range450kms Enginecomprises Perkins CV12 diesel engine, David Brown TN54 enhanced low-loss gearbox and the OMANI cooling group: Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is also fitted Engine Power1,200bhpCrew3 Armament1 x 7. 62mm machine gun, Stowage for crew man-portable Light Anti-Tank Weapons, Fitted with NBC protection system. THE ADVANTAGES FOR IAEs 8. the capabilities and the specifications of the Titan AVLB are clearly apparent in the above table and explanation. The obvious deduction is that several advantages will be appreciated by anyone who utilizes this vehicle. I am optimistic that after graduating from the Capability and Technology Management Course (CTMC), I may be able and to access and to conduct further detailed research on this matter.Nevertheless, at the moment even given the limited scope of this paper, it is clear at least there are three advantages to discuss in term of benefits for IAEs by utilizing Titan AVLB. 9. One good point to start with is the ability of this vehicle to move by itself. The 62. 5 tonnes of weight can not be considered as light, however, since the vehicle can move easily and relatively fast, weight is no longer a problem. Even the transportation problem presented with Bailey, Acrow panel, and pontoon bridges is eliminated by this vehicle.This beneficial fact negates the requirement to use another vehicle and subsequently saving some amount of fuel and costs. 10. The second benefits can be identified is the minimum use of manpower. It is explicitly written in the specifications that this magnificent vehicle can be manned by only three personnel. For this reason, human resources in a company of engineers for instance, can be managed more efficiently and can undertake more parallel tasks. Particularly in a disaster relief, military personnel are vital to be involved in both evacuation and rehabilitation efforts. 1. The last but not least, the perfect integration of this equipment’s ability to operate on almost all terrain along with its rapid launching and retrieving, will be very valuable in providing assistance during periods of disaster relief especially when the permanent bridge facilities may have collapsed or are not in order. Subsequently, evacuation could be undertaken faster, more lives could be saved. In addition, the quick launch of the bridges will also assist the government as well as other concerned parties in conducting the rehabilitation process. CONCLUSION 2. The Titan AVLB is a heavy duty engineering vehicle which can move by itself, carrying a set of bridges which are ready to be launched within minutes, and operated by not more than 3 personnel. Its combination of advantageous capabilities is highly suited for IAEs in order to meet the challenges presented by the Indonesian environment, both in normal daily situations and post-disaster evacuation and rehabilitation periods. BIBLIOGRAPHY ‘Armoured Vehicle Launch Bridge’, Wikipedia, 6 November 2010 at 22:51, viewed on 21 November 2010, < http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Armoured_vehicle-launched_bridge> Central Intelligence Agency, ‘The World Factbook†, in Central Intelligence Agency, Oct 05, 2009 10:49 AM, viewed on 21 November 2010, . Partnership for Disaster Reduction South-East Asia Phase 4, ‘Monitoring and Reporting Progress on Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction in Indonesia’, in Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, April 2008, viewed on 21 November 2010, The Royal Engineers, ‘Titan Armoured Vehicle Launcher Bridge (AVLB)’, The Bri tish Army, viewed 19 November 2010, < http://www. armedforces. co. uk/army/listings/l0062. html>

Mexican Religion Shapes Culture Essay

Mexican Religion Shapes Culture Throughout the world, the expansion of religion has significantly influenced the development of humanity in many different ways. Religion is an organized collection of belief and cultural systems with world views that relate humanity to spirituality and moral values (dictionary.com). Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to explain the origin of the Universe and give a convincing meaning to life. It was Hernan Cortes who first brought the Catholic Church to Mexico in 1521. His expedition, which included a friar named Bartolome de Olmedo and a priest named Juan Diaz, was mandated to convert the Indians into Christians. After the Spanish conquest, Mexico became colonized which, was helpful in the attempt to influence indigenous people to take on Catholicism. Religion has impacted Mexican societies through their culture, their surroundings and architecture, and their families. Roman Catholicism was established as the dominant, but not official, religion of Mexico. Today, about 89% of Mexicans still identify themselves by this division of Christian religion. The 2000 census reported that Mexico had some 101,000,000 Catholics among the population aged five and above. This equates to about 91% of their total population, making it the second largest Roman Catholic country in the world. The Catholic Church is the world’s largest Christian church, and is its largest religious grouping. Catholicism influences people in many countries, and in Mexico this influence is no less apparent. Though not everyone in Mexico is Catholic, religion seems to maintain a social order. Mexican Catholics take the many rules of Catholicism very seriously. In the article â€Å"The Catholic Church in Mexico: Triumphs and Traumas†, Shep Lencheck claims, â€Å"As of this moment the Church remains a unifying force in the private lives of Mexicans. It is the one constant in the changing and sometimes chaotic Mexican scene† (Lencheck 1). Thus, Catholicism is an ever present aspect in the lives of many Mexicans. Statistics show that almost 50 percent of Mexico’s population attends weekly mass at their local church. This weekly mass isn’t the only Catholic part of Mexican culture. Many ceremonies, including baptisms, confirmations, and weddings revolve around the Catholic Church. These events become more than just a religious ceremony but they are turned into a social event or community celebration with family and friends regardless the religion professed. A perso ns journey through religion is celebrated and all events from baptisms to weddings come with a party where religion is integrated into the social lives of many. The majority of society is scared to act upon certain sins in fear of the unknown (Hell). In the Catholic religion it is believed that sins of great evil are mortal sins-which bring the dire consequence of going to hell if unrepented for. In the bible a fear of God is clearly demanded, â€Å"The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them,† (Psalm 25:14) This states that in order to be a good Catholic, one must have a fear of God. This fear is instilled in Catholics from the moment they join the religion. They are told that in order to guarantee themselves eternal life they must have a personal covenant relationship with God. Part of this relationship includes following the rules of the religion to ensure a pathway to eternal life. Sin can also be viewed as anything that violates the ideal relationship between an individual and god. If one does not believe they will also receive consequences, â€Å"Hell will also punish the sin of those who reject Christ† (Matthew 13:41) So whether you believe or not, committing sins leads to the ultimate punishment. This fear of Hell keeps many Catholics from breaking their covenant with God. The Catholic Church holds great power over their followers. As its own arbiter, the Catholic Church accepts no authority as being higher than itself. In the mid 1960s, Mexico experienced a population growth that instantly became a problem. The increasing population added to social inequalities and put pressure on job creation and emigration. In â€Å"Latina Sexuality, Reproduction, and Fertility as a Threat to the Nation.†, author Leo Chavez explains the population boom in Mexico. Mexico’s high fertility rate was the result of an unusually pronatalist cultural tradition, which meant that Mexicans placed an abnormally high value on having children. Because of machismo and Marianosmo, the argument went, men are dominant and women were submissive, and having more children increase the social status of both. Motherhood is viewed as an essential purpose for a woman’s existence. (Chavez 535) These trends in procreation were very strong in the Mexican culture. The church had their own reaction to this population boom and in 1972 the Catholic Church called for reduced family size, and has promoted family planning clinics and education programs. This shows how the Catholic Church rules over everything, even things as uncontrollable as social trends. No matter where you go, you will always see some sort of solicitation about religion. It could be door to door solicitation, over the radio, on television, advertisements on billboards, or even on clothing. No t only is religion everywhere and impractical to avoid, most of the solicitation revolves around begging. More specifically, in the late 160Os, the brothers and mothers of the church would travel throughout the neighborhoods soliciting funds for their masses, sick comrades, and the like. In Nicole Von Germeten’s work called Black Blood Brothers: Confraternities and Social Mobility for Afro- Mexicans, she shows how public solicitation was a prominent feature of Afro-Mexican Catholicism during the seventeenth century, The comrades petitioned support on a large scale, dispatching numerous members to diverse locations consistently each week and on religious holidays. These initiatives proved remarkably lucrative. For instance, records for the Incarnation and Saint Biaises, a sizable seventeenth century Black confraternity of Valladolid, indicate that begging accounted for nearly all of the funding for the group’s activities. (Von Germeten, pp. 111) Their success is exceptional, which is common among the institutions, which points to the generosity of the colonists and to their respect for the organizations within the Catholic faith. The Mexican people were involved in the creation of the Catholic Church in Mexico from the beginning. They supported the church and provided the funds for the religion to grow within their cities and surroundings. Whether a house is small and rural or large and urban, crosses, rosaries, and small candles honoring Jesus or Our Lady of Guadalupe decorate most homes in Mexico. Icons such as these are mainly used for worship and have great significance to Catholics. Our Lady of Guadalupe is a recognized symbol for all Mexican Catholics and was used in the struggle for independence against the Spanish. â€Å"The most important icon of Mexican national culture is the Virgin of Guadalupe, which illustrates the pervasive influence of Roman Catholicism in the national culture. She is viewed as the â€Å"mother† of all Mexicans. The dark-skinned Virgin is the Mexican version of the Virgin Mary and as such represents national identity as the product of the mixing of European and Meso-American religions and peoples.† (everyculture) This icon represents Mexico as a whole and shows just how large an influence Catholicism has had on Mexico. With the display of icons such as the Lady of Guadalupe, the home becomes an expression of the religion of the family. There are about 5000-7000 churches in the entire country. Even in the Prehispanic Period, Mexican architecture focused mainly on places of worship including the pyramids and temples of the indigenous. Catholicism has found its way into the architecture of many cities in mexico including Mexico City. One of the most visited b uildings is The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the outskirts of Mexico City. This Church has become such a facet of Mexican Architecture that, according to The Catholic News Agency, even our former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has visited the shrine, â€Å"During her recent visit to Mexico, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made an unexpected stop at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and left a bouquet of white flowers ‘on behalf of the American people,’†(CNA). This Catholic Church is a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe as well as a very popular tourist and religious attraction. The Shrine welcomes tens of thousands of visitors annually. Religion has integrated itself so deeply into Mexican architecture that most tourist attractions are religious based. The strength of the family unit is intertwined with the practice of religion and in the eyes of most Mexicans, family is valued greatly. Family is the essence of Mexican life. Most families are very closely knit and it is not unfamiliar to see three or more generations living together in the same household. But religion is what holds these families together so tightly. Country Facts points out how religion holds the Mexican family together, â€Å"The Mexican people are quite religious and they have important religious events the whole year round on which the families get together to celebrate. Amongst the important dates for the Mexican families are the 12th of December which is known as the Nuestra senora de Guadalupe. The 24th and 25th of December are important dates according to the Christian traditions.†(Country Facts 2) The biggest holidays for Mexican families are religion based. Families get together to celebrate their religion and also to celebrate their family. Religion and family go hand in hand in Mexico and these events are used to keep even extended family as closely knit as possible. Mexican families sometimes make pilgrimages to The Shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe. A pilgrimage, defined by The Modern Catholic Dictionary, is a journey to a sacred place undertaken as an act of religious devotion. Its purpose may be simply to venerate a certain saint or ask some spiritual favor; beg for physical cure or perform an act of penance; express thanks or fulfill a promise. In The Houston Chronicle, journalist Dudley Althaus reports on Mexican pilgrimages, â€Å"tens of thousands of Mexico’s Roman Catholic faithful will travel narrow and hazardous two-lane highways through central Mexico’s cold highlands to the Basilica of The Virgin of Guadalupe.† (Althaus). Most who embark on this journey do not do so alone. Many families will make a pilgrimage together in order to prove their faithfulness or to ask for a blessing for the family. Families who make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe do so for different reasons. The upper classes trave l out of tradition, and the poorer classes more likely do so for specific material requests for themselves or others. Prayer has played a vital role in religion for many years throughout history. Mexican families will often pray during meals or privately in their separate rooms before bed. A few reasons why they pray is because it is very relaxing, because they want to thank God, and some even pray solely because they want something. In the Catholic religion praying is crucial for a close, personal relationship with God. One Bible verse states: †Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened† (Matthew 7:7-8 NAB). Prayer has a positive impact on family unity and connectedness, which Mexicans are universally drawn to. This belief in prayer resounds in the heart of every Mexican, convinced that it is a source of strength and protection. Religion has impacted Mexican societies through their culture, their surroundings and architecture, and their families. Roman Catholicism was established as the dominant, but not official, religion of Mexico. Today, about 89% of Mexicans still identify themselves by this division of Christian religion. Throughout the world, the expansion of religion has significantly influenced the development of humanity in many different ways. WORKS CITED Baxamusa, Mufaddal H., and Abu Jalal. Does Religion Affect Capital Structure?. Rochester, Rochester:, 2013. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Carrigan, Henry. â€Å"Houses of God: Region, Religion, and Architecture in the United States.† Publishers Weekly 244.30 (1997): 67-. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. Lorentzen, Lois Ann. â€Å"La Llorona’s Children: Religion, Life, and Death in the U.S.-Mexican Borderlands.† The Americas 62.3 (2006): 474-5. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. â€Å"THE ARTS: Diego Rivera; Art and Revolution; Cleveland Museum of Art Premieres Retrospective.† The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Jun 18 1999: 6-. ProQuest. Web. 10 Apr. 2013 . Ramirez, Margaret. 2000. RELIGION / Exploring issues, answers and beliefs. Los Angeles, Calif. Tribune Publishing Company LLC Von Germeten, Nicole. (2006a) Black Blood Brothers: Confraternities and Social Mobility for Afro-Mexicans. FL: University of Florida Press. â€Å"religion.† Dictionary.com Unabr idged. Random House, Inc. 17 Apr. 2013. .