Childhood story

The day started as a usual Saturday does when your eight years old, up at nine o'clock ready and raring to go for another exciting weekend full of promise. Jumping up and out of bed, pulling on my clothes and running straight downstairs forgetting about the more important things such as cleaning my teeth and getting a wash. I burst into my front room, turning the television on I walked into the kitchen. Grabbing my favourite bowl I poured in a generous helping of weetos, topping the bowl up with milk I re-entered the front room. Of course on the television were the same old children's cartoons that in wasted hours of my youthful life watching. Finishing off the cereal I just dumped my empty bowl on the nearest table. Sitting myself back down I heard my mum shouting my name from upstairs. I hurriedly went back up stairs to see what she was so desperate to talk to me about. Approaching her bedroom door I heard my sister wake up with a yawn. Today was her tenth birthday, it was quite unusual for her not be up before me especially on what I classed as the second most important day of the year! Of course the most important was Christmas! I entered my mums room, peering round the corner of her door I asked â€Å"what's the problem mum? † she beckoned me into the room putting her finger to her lips as if to say be quiet. I sat on the bed next to her. She whispered to me â€Å"do you remember what day it is? † and as I said earlier it was my sisters birthday. Later on that day I was downstairs glaring aimlessly at the pointless cartoons that have plagued televisions for years now. My sister came downstairs and entered the front room where I was sat. I had already wished her happy birthday by this time and she exclaimed, â€Å"have you seen what I've got for my birthday? To be honest I didn't really care but I didn't know then that one of her presents would change how I look for the rest of my life! She began to announce what she had been given â€Å"I've got some new dolls, hairbrushes, clothes and roller-skates† I wasn't at all interested in any of this stuff but I had to be polite, so I juts answered back â€Å"oh very nice† This encounter was the only thing of importance for a few hours. The next thing of interest was my sister had been trying her roller-skates on. She had been rolling up and down on the carpeted landing. When she had finished she left her skates dumped at the top of the stairs. I didn't even notice as I was lost in a game of sonic the hedgehog on my megadrive. It was about one o'clock when my mum shouted me down for dinner. I was really hungry and began to run down the landing. On the left hand side there was a four-foot wall to part the stairs from the landing. As I was only and still am quite small I couldn't see over the top bounding around the corner of this I stomped down onto the first step, from the second my foot hit something solid I could tell there was a problem. My foot went from underneath me and my body began to bounce down the stairs. Every time I hit the stairs another bruise appeared on my pale skin. As I fell I could see the radiator running down the right hand side of the wall at the bottom of the stairs. I knew what was going to happen but I was powerless to stop it. My head came crashing into the edge of the protruding radiator, cutting a deep hole into my skull. The pain hit me like a sledgehammer, blood filled my eyes as I began to scream. I could hardly see, everything was red, all I could make out were shapes. I heard people around me but that was the last thing I could remember. Four hours later I awoke in hospital with a big bandage around my head. The doctor was talking to my parents as I opened my eyes. They both saw me sitting up and ran straight over to me. Both were wrapping their arms around me. I asked what had happened, they explained to me my head had to glued and it would most probably scar! All I could think about though was the smell of Kentucky fried chicken coming from the bed next to me!

Education Vision Essay

I believe that all students should be held to the same standards of education. While there should always be accommodations for an individual student’s strengths, weaknesses and learning style, there should also be a universal set of criteria by which a student’s progress is measured. While those standards may sometimes seem exacting to the students expected to meet them, they are far less demanding than what is required of today’s workers in an economy where competition has become global. An innovative and creative spirit has become in the last twenty years something that is generally expected of everyone rather than something only expected of the exceptional, a solid foundation in the basic elements of education, math and reading have become ever-more vital to succeeding in the modern world. Where education is concerned, I have found that creativity and innovation can oftentimes be fostered by the experience of overcoming challenges and, thereby, attaining a justified belief in one’s own abilities. A student who is taught to take pride in their work and, especially, to take pride is turning a failure into a success is someone likely to succeed in a world where competition is fierce and belief in one’s self is the most advantageous thing. Where the application of standards are concerned, I believe that any leader in an educational setting must be held to high standards just as are the students. By holding myself accountable to the highest standards, I gain the legitimacy to expect the same of my students and the ability to inspire them to do more than they may have thought possible. The position of a leader is one that is at least partially earned by gaining credibility in the eyes of those whom I am charged to lead. This can best be accomplished by setting an example; by continually challenging myself with new ideas and new situations while at the same time having the conviction to stand by those practices that have proven effective over time. Having worked as a teacher and a teacher’s assistant in various settings for the past five years, I have learned that both students and educators must never loose touch with their essential humanity and that empathy must always accompany high expectations. When a student knows that their teachers understand the hardships they face but still expect them to perform at a level of excellence, the student can be assured that they are not being driven unreasonably but are only expected to perform at the level their teachers know that student can achieve. Where sympathy and lowered expectations are really forms of condescension, empathy and high expectations communicate to a student that their instructor has not only high hopes for their student, but also a sincere and justified respect for their student’s potential. I have always felt a visceral connection and genuine responsibility for the successes and failures of my students. I hope to always be there to help my students experience the satisfaction of success and of overcoming failure.

Research project proposal on climate change Essay

Research project proposal on climate change - Essay Example The effects on human and on earth will be also included. What causes this change will also be include in the research. A methodology will be presented to further support the studies done on this research. The focus of this research would be the cause and effect of climate change in human and in earth. This research proposal will introduce the tool to be use which is the Climate Analysis Indicator Tool. The features as well as the data and the spreadsheet included in this tool are discuss briefly below. What causes climate change Climate change are caused by the increasing human activities significantly the concentrations of some gases in the atmosphere such as greenhouse gases (GHG) mainly CO2 and anthropogenic aerosols. The GHG usually causes the earth to warm the surfaces and the anthropogenic aerosols tend to cool it. Several studies have been done to solve the problem about the greenhouse gases emission which is the main cause of climate change. Based on the Ecological Society of America (1997), the earth's atmosphere is a natural greenhouse that keeps the average global temperature around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and other trace gases in our atmosphere trap the sun's heat as it is radiated from the Earth back into space. Does Greenhouse Gas (GHG) really cause climate change Several studies have been done but there is no distinct work correlating GHG as the main cause of climate change. As an example a study done in Cyprus by cypernv.org Cyprus has a hotter, drier climate than it had a century ago. Even if the situation is not proven to be cause by man it is still serious since it may means changes in our nature. There is no such proof that the climate change is caused by human. Although, there are some studies linking human as a cause of climate change. How do climate change affects us in the near future Diseases such as malaria and dengue two vector borne infections are caused by climate change. Currently 40 - 50 % of the world population has been suffering from infectious diseases because of the climate change. Based on the present ranges, these and many other infectious diseases would tend to increase in incidence and seasonality-although regional decreases would occur in some infectious diseases. Climate change varies, every country has its own study regarding climate change and the result would be different depending on their location. For example, most Asian countries only have 2 climate (the wet and dry), their study would focus only on that 2 season. Middle East country has only 1 season and the focus of the study would be on that climate only. What will be the effects of climate change on hydrology and water resources The effects on hydrology and water resources depend on the location. The effect of climate change on streamflow and groundwater recharge varies regionally and between climate scenarios, largely following projected changes in precipitation A consistent projection across most climate change scenarios is for increases in annual mean streamflow in high latitudes and southeast Asia, and decreases in central Asia, the area around the Mediterranean, southern Africa, and Australia the amount of change, however, varies between scenarios(Climate change and Global Wa rming, 2007). The relevance of this study would help the people

Soil Enzyme Activity Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Soil Enzyme Activity - Lab Report Example Results show that combined fertilizer had the highest enzyme activity of 1.493 followed by organic fertilizer (1.148), inorganic fertilizer (0.529) and unammended (0.459) soil sample in that order. Combination of inorganic fertilizer and organic fertilizer provides efficient environment for the growth of soil bacteria hence production of more alkaline phosphatase enzymes thus resulting into high enzyme activity. These findings shows how an integrated fertilizer regime play an important role in altering the structure of the soil microbial composition, stimulates microbial growth and increases enzyme activity as compared to the inorganic fertilizer. Microorganisms play a vital role in biochemical transformation important for nutrient cycling in soils. The microorganisms in the soil are capable of breaking down insoluble nutrient sources in the soil and in the process produce extracellular enzymes. Extracellular enzymes are biochemical catalysts, protein compounds produced within the bacterial cell and exported out into the soil solution. While outside the cells, enzymes catalyze reactions that break down the structure of nutrient source in order to make it more accessible to the plants. The quantities of extracellular enzymes are therefore dependent on substrate concentration, soil microorganisms’ metabolic ability, soil environmental conditions such as temperature and pH and the number of microorganisms present in the soil (Lichtfouse, 228). Alkaline Phosphatase is an example of extracellular enzyme produced by many soil microorganisms and exported out into the soil solution. The main function is to eliminate the phosphate molecule from the organic compounds such as nucleic acids and phospholipids.

How did the physicians and the literate lay people in the 18th century Essay

How did the physicians and the literate lay people in the 18th century explain disease and what did they think were the roles of doctor, the individual, and the state in responding to and preventing it - Essay Example The state had not been involved previously in the maintenance of health and health related issues but many writings and works led to the initiation of the intervention of the government in these issues. This century could not be considered as an era of great medical development because it did not reach very close to the actual concept and meaning of medical practice. But the advances and progression in this regard was great enough as compared to the previous centuries. The concept of disease was previously considered to be the problems encountered by a patient. It was the presentation of the symptoms and signs by the patient which laid the basis for the explanation of the disease. This practice was very much common till the start of the eighteenth century. This is clearly presented by an example which was put forward by Alexander Morgan who was a surgeon in Bristol. He put forward a case which he encountered with a patient in 1744 when the patient presented him with his problems. This was the period when the doctor was not the person solely governing the pathology with which the patient was suffering and the prescribed medications. It was rather the doctor and the patient who discussed the problems together and reached to a conclusion regarding the treatment to be prescribed to the patient. It is said that during this time it was actually the patient who ruled the right to reach to a conclusion regarding his problem and medicine and practice basic ally lay in the hands of the sufferer. During this time patients explained the reasons for their diseases. They could actually stand against the treatment given to them by the doctor. The reasons explained for illnesses ranged from sudden changes in temperature to the curse of god. Not only were there vague reasons for diseases but treatments were also of a similar range. By the middle of the eighteenth century certain changes to these concepts were noticed. Hospitals were created by this time. And the other

Organisational Behaviour and Change Management Essay

Organisational Behaviour and Change Management - Essay Example So, in 2005, it actualized that plan by adopting the diversity program. This program apart from improving Nike’s ethical image, also positively affects the economic and non-economic aspects of Nike’s functioning. Importantly it opens up a surge of opportunities and so this paper as part of a strategic plan will discuss those opportunities, focusing on the ethical dilemmas associated with those opportunities. Then the paper will discuss the actualization of those opportunities through optimization of the strategic plan, incorporating strategies from other organization. Any organized human activity, which is done in-group, will be most times constituted into an organization. So, organization is a ‘structure’ where ‘collage’ of workers will do their allocated work under the supervision of a leader, for the benefit of the organization as well as them. When one speaks or thinks about an industry or an office or an organization, the ‘mental picture’, one visualizes is of machines, large assembling plants, etc, etc (in case of industries) and papers, computers, cabins etc, etc (in case of offices). But, the crucial thing that the mind ‘crops out’ is the picture of a working human. Without delving deeply into why mind always associate industry and office with non-living things, the point is, humans are the crucial things who can put an organization in a cruise mode in terms of production, sales, profits, etc. So, the workers only form the crucial ‘cog’ in the running of the organization. On ly if these crucial workers are recruited or staffed optimally through an effective recruitment process, the organization can achieve optimum success. But, for the organizations particularly multinational companies, recruiting the apt workers is not the end of the task, they have to recruit employees from diverse backgrounds in their home operations and

Australia taxation law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Australia taxation law - Essay Example The first task identified was the determination of whether, for tax purposes, the Finlays are considered residents of Australia. The determination was made that the Finlays were considered residents based upon the residency test. According to Australian Tax Law the Finlays are considered residents because they were in Australia for 6 months or more during the 2006/2007 tax year. They also meet residency requirements because they met one or more of the three statutory residency tests. They are considered residents because they maintain a residence in Australia, have resided in Australia for 6 months during the tax year, and they contribute to the superannuation retirement fund. The biggest question to answer about residency and foreign income is what is taxable and what is not taxable. It has already been determined that the Finlays meet residency requirements for tax purposes. Although the tax forms ask for foreign income and foreign taxes paid on those earnings, the tax forms do not explain why. The first determination was that the income was earned in a country that has already taxed the income. If the foreign income was earned but not taxed it would be subject to taxation by the Australian Government. ... d States and Australia was created for "the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income" (Australian Taxation Office website). This protocol covers all aspects of income earned in the United States. Most specifically, relating to this case study, income earned within the United States is taxed by the United States. Any income not taxed is considered taxable income in Australia and residents of Australia are subject to taxation on that income earned. It is very important for the individual to report foreign income and whether or not it was taxed. All records relating to the income and taxes paid should be kept as proof of income earned and taxes paid. Taxation also applies to dividends earned, interest earned, royalties, and capital gains earned in the United States. In this case study Andrew's earnings were taxed but dividends, capital gains, and interest earned in the United States were not taxed so they are subject to taxation i n Australia. Other instance where income may not have been taxed by the United States include the following: 1) the income is less than the amount where taxation begins 2) the income falls into an exempt category in the foreign country 3) a memorandum of understanding exists 4) The income consists of supplements paid by the Australian Staffing Assistance Scheme 5) The foreign country levies a tax but does not have a system in place to collect those taxes TaxPack and Forms. This case study was completed using the Australian Taxation Office's "TaxPack" retrievable from their website at www.ato.gov.au. The TaxPack for individuals, supplement section, and Business and professional items schedule for individuals 2007. In addition, the rental property worksheet was used to

Various Ethical Considerations in Education Essay

Various Ethical Considerations in Education - Essay Example There are certainly ethical issues that education stakeholders need to keep in mind and ponder over time so that they will be able to assess the impact of education on the society. Ethical issues in education encompass issues like teacher evaluation, value education, sex education and random drug tests. This paper analyses various ethical considerations in education, and how these considerations are important to the success of education. Education is an ongoing process in our lives. As we grow older, we receive new education and we keep passing the education that we have to others. Ethical considerations are expected to streamline the operation and success of education in people’s lives. These considerations are also aimed at regulating the distribution and exchange of education. These ethical considerations apply to both the receivers and givers of education, education institutes, management bodies, parents or even guardians of students. In many instances, educators and other stakeholders in education will be faced with decisions that are normally not in tandem with the organization’s policies and values. This is referred to as an ethical dilemma, and in these circumstances, one would be forced to make a decision that does not contravene the values of the organization. There are many ethical issues in education, and in all these issues, educators ought to be guided by appropriate and noteworthy decision-making strategies. The educator needs to evaluate various issues affecting an organization, and from this, he may be able to address all challenges facing the organization. The first step in addressing ethical issues in education is an acknowledgment of ethical issues and dilemmas. After this, the nature of the conflict needs to be clarified by the educators. Then, educators need to identify the involved processes in the conflict.  

Flappers and 1920s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Flappers and 1920s - Essay Example "Flapper culture set American society abuzz in the 1920s, jazz was becoming the musical craze of young people, hemlines were rising in girl's skirts in length, and in the backseats of automobiles. Modern society was emerging in the speech, fashions, and actions of young girls all over the country. The motion picture industry became an obsession for young men and women who dreamed of gracing the big screen and a luxurious life in Hollywood, or on Broadway." (Flapper Culture: Fashion and the Rise of Hollywood's Leading Lady) Therefore, it is important to realize that in 1920 flappers took the world of fashion by storm and the most important repercussions of the new culture was evident in the Hollywood film industry. Significantly, celebrity was becoming a buzzword during the period and women were discovering what life was 'really like'. In Hollywood fashion, Colleen Moore, the star of Hollywood's first big flapper hit movie Flaming Youth, became a high profile celebrity flapper and Mar y Pickford, Clara Bow, and the flapper queen, Louise Brooks followed Moore's footsteps. An explanation, an analysis, and an evaluation of Flappers in the 1920s help us realize how women fashion was influenced by Hollywood and how it relates to the present day. In an essential

Paramedic Professionals Essay Example for Free

Paramedic Professionals Essay Although paramedics work alongside other emergency services and health care providers, they are not classified as health care professionals, therefore, working independently from these organisations and autonomously within their own state ambulance organisations. Through exploring the evolution of paramedic practice and their role as a health care provider, the current status of paramedics as a semi profession is explained along with what further development is needed before they become a recognised profession. In understanding how paramedics work autonomously within their own state based organisations, the concept of scope of practice and evidence based practice is explored. Finally by discussing how paramedics are independent, we establish paramedics’ role and position within the Australian Health Care System. A paramedic is a health care professional At present in Australia, paramedics are not classified as registered health care professionals. (Smith 2012) Instead, paramedics are widely regarded as semi-professionals with the potential to become a fully recognised profession in the near future. The definition of profession and the guidelines to become a recognised profession are not black and white. Professions Australia defined a profession as ‘a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to ethical standards and who possess special knowledge and skills in a widely recognised body of learning derived from research, education and training at a high level. ’ (Allied Health Professions Australia 2008: 8) Whilst Wilinsky (1964) describes 4 key elements that are essential for the process of professionalization. These include; the implementation of a unified code of ethics and regulations, attaining professional licencing, registration and accreditation, the establishment of university study and education and the development of full-time occupation and formation of occupational territory. Over the past 20 years the roles of paramedics have changed rapidly, with changes still occurring at the present. Paramedics have transitioned from ‘stretcher bearers’ knew as ambulance officers, to todays’ paramedics who are full time workers and are able to administer extensive pre hospital care. Along with the changes to the nature of the paramedics’ job, there has also been a significant change in the way paramedics are trained. ‘Training for paramedics has transitioned from on the job training provided by State and Territory Ambulance Services to vocational qualifications and more recently, higher education (University) sector qualifications. ’(Williams, Brown, Onsman 2012: 6) These changes to higher education training and full time employment, has allowed for paramedics to move one step closer in becoming a recognised profession. A review of common professional traits suggests two main areas where the discipline falls short and it is that paramedics do not have ‘national registration and regulation resulting in professional self-control and accreditation’ and they do not nationwide qualifications that link from tertiary education to the paramedic services (Williams, Brown, Osman 2012: 1) Firstly, registration in the context of health care professionals, is the process of licensing and registering clinicians to practice at a uniform national standard of care. Productivity Commission 2005 in Williams, Brown, Osman 2012: 7) Registration allows for consistency in education and training nationwide, and ensures paramedics work within the provisions of their scope of practice. (Council of Ambulance Authorities 2008) Secondly, there are no national university standard degree competencies or a national curriculum in relation to paramedic training. This leads to an inconsistency between the curricula taugh t to paramedic students. This is further aggravated by ambulance services as they work independently from the Australian Health care System and of the universities as well. Williams, Brown, Osman 2012) In conclusion, without the implementation of nationwide registration, licensing and education qualifications, paramedics will continue to be recognized as a semi-profession. Operating autonomously Paramedics are allied health care providers who are operating autonomously at a state level within their own ambulance services. The United States National Library of Medicine defines autonomy as the ‘decisions and the freedom to act in accordance with ones professional knowledge base. (Nurs 2010: 1) In the paramedic profession this knowledge base is known as a scope of practice. Within each state based paramedic organisation, there is legislation and guidelines that outline the scope of which a certain qualified paramedic can work in. Scope of practice refers to ‘the extent to w hich providers may render Health care services and the extent they may do so independently and the type of diseases, ailments, and injuries a health care provider may address and what procedures and medication they can provide. ’ (Prats ;amp; Katz 2012: 13) For example, in Queensland, whilst out on road paramedics have the freedom to make their own decisions and judgments based on their knowledge, as long as it is legal in the legislation of the Queensland Ambulance Service Ambulance Service Act 1991 (Qld) and within the scope of practice of the paramedics qualifications. (Queensland Consolidated Acts 2010) As paramedics gain further knowledge and undergo more training, the scope of practice of this paramedic will increase. The larger the scope of practice, the more autonomously the paramedic is able to operate. Currently in Queensland there has been an increased awareness of poorer patient outcomes and difficulties in accessing medical help in rural and remote areas. (Horizon 2007 in O’Meara 2011) In an attempt to increase positive patient outcomes, expanded scope roles have been introduced into the Australian Health Care System, allowing certain paramedics to apply skills and protocols for which they were not originally trained. (Sterling, Pedler, Walker 2007) This increases the paramedics’ autonomy within their field which allows them to work for better patient outcomes. Paramedics are also highly autonomous as they frequently use evidence based practice as a means of new research and technique. In the pre hospital care environment, ‘rather than making decisions about practice actions based on routine and traditionally taught methods, paramedics use evidence identified from well-constructed studies as a basis for the clinical decisions and behaviours. ’ (Curtis ;amp; Ramsden 2011: 111) Evidence based practice occurs through ‘integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. (Sackett ;amp; Rosenberg 1996: 1) This can only occur when an individual is given autonomy within their field of work. In conclusion, as paramedics have the freedom to make decisions within their scope of practice and can utilise evidence based practice, paramedics are autonomous within a state level. Operating independently within The Australian Health Care System Although paramedics work alon g-side the Australian Health Care System, paramedics are independent of this system. The Houghton Mifflin Company 2011 defines independent as being ‘not governed by a foreign power; self-governing. Paramedics are governed by their own state based organisations and are separate and independent of the hospitals and the Australian Health Care System. When dealing with any misconduct or inquiries, unlike nurses and doctors whose governing power is the Australian Health Care System, paramedics approach their own state based organisation. In conclusion, even though the paramedics work in conjunction with other health care providers both in and out of the hospital setting, paramedics governance is independent of other health care services and the Australian Health Care System. Willis, McCarthy, Lazarsfeld-Jensen and O’Meara 2009) Conclusion: In conclusion paramedics are autonomous and independent health care providers who work along-side the Australian Health Care system. Alth ough paramedics work alongside other emergency services and health care providers in both the in and out of hospital care environment, they are not classified as health care professionals. But with the implementation of nationwide curricula and ethical standards, paramedics can move from a semi profession to fully recognised profession. Paramedics have the freedom to make decisions within their scope of practice and can utilise evidence based practice, making paramedics autonomous within a state level. Through the broadening of paramedics’ scope of practice in certain environment such as rural areas and through the use of evidence based practice we see efforts to increase positive patient outcomes. Finally, paramedics are independent from the Australian Health Care System as they are self-governed by their own state based organisations.

Recent human resource development analysis

Recent human resource development analysis Accompanied with the increasingly recognized facts that people, together with their knowledge and skill sets, are becoming the underpinning and sustainable drivers of the Companies competitive advantages, the strategic importance of the human resource development (Hereafter as HDR) has merited growing attention from a wide variety of the practitioners and scholars from different organizations and institutions. In many successful learning organizations, which advocated learning and development at workplace, have refashioned their training schemes and put HDR on their top priorities as the primary management tool. According to Bratton and Gold (2003), the HDR has been closely intertwined and interacted to such issues as performance management, organizational improvement, and become the core of the companies strategies. The rest of the paper is divided into two sections. In the first part, the theoretical perspectives of the contemporary HRD will be briefed and compared. Those factors that significantly reshaped the emergence of strategic approaches are discussed as well. The second part mainly endeavors to go further deep by analyzing the practicality of those theoretical perspectives, examining how they reflect themselves in real business environment. The Russells Ltd is selected for the case-study, the companys main problems may get sorted and feasible HDR solutions are offered. Definition of human resource development As the discipline of the HRD is still development and changing, it is impossible to deliver a precise and static definition of the HDR. Among all the researchers, McLean and McLean (2001), give relatively objective description of the HDR. It is any process or activity that, either initially or over the long term, has the potential to develop adults work-based knowledge, expertise, productivity and satisfaction, whether for personal or group gain or for the benefit of an organization, community, nation of ultimately the whole humanity. According to Tseng and McLean (2008), the substance of HDR consists of three core professional and practical issues, learning, performance, and change. In the recent decades, there have been wide scales of changes that occurred and affected the HDR conception and practices. Some of them have larger significance relative to others and are covered in this paper. The recent human resource development The rapid evolution in the technical advancement, together with the globalization of the markets, and the fast growth of the worldwide economies is provoking the dynamism of the global markets, making customers expectations fast changing and highly unpredictable. Against this backdrop, it requires more inputs and efforts from organizations to maintain their competitive edges over their rivalries. (Johnson et al, 2008). The change management starts to catch the spotlight of many organizations and institutions, and the norm, that learning is the only option for companies to remain flexible and responsive to changes emerged. (Bratton and Gold, 2003) At his moment, the HDR is recognized as the creative tool that builds the learning environment, supportive and advocating, helping the individuals in the organizations foster learning oriented mind-set and making sure they have the right skills in working in the changing environment. (Noel and Dennehy, 1991) Garavan et al (2000) specified that there are three major theoretical perspectives on the contemporary human resource development. The first one is capabilities-driven HRD, under which, the people within the organizations are perceived as the source of the firms competitive advantages. HRD in this context is seen as the tool that endeavors to make sure these organizational capabilities are delivered smoothly and freely, and therefore, the organizational performance could be improved as a result. (Garavan et al, 2000). However, this perspective is subject to several limitations. First of all, it fails to capture the reality that the capabilities possessed by the people may be unstructured and could not be used directly to facilitate the organizational growth. Another limitation of this perspective is the assumption that the organizations have clearly measured goals, which are consistent and less changing. However, in the real business, the goals are both changing and ambiguous. Theref ore, the task of HRD is to develop a wide range of skills and capabilities. In spite of these limitations, Luoma (2000) still insisted that the strategic HRD is the most effective approach to synchronize the workforce development with the organizational capabilities, ensuring that the learning and training could help the organizations meet their development goals. The second perspective on contemporary HRD, according to Garavan et al (2000), is connected to the employee-employer relationship and expectations. The role of HRD in the second perspective is all about managing and re-shaping the psychological contract binding between the employees and their organizations. Harrison (2002) specified that the psychological contract contains the feelings and attitudes of the employees toward their employers based on the level of satisfaction of their needs and rights desired. Such HDR is in particular, important and present during the corporate reconstructuring, in which the employee commitment, loyalty and flexibility become essential. (Bratton and Gold, 2003) As an impaired psychological contract could demolish the employees loyalty, commitment, motives and thus, performance level at the workplace, it is important to successfully and smoothly manage such relationship and expectations. (DelCampo, 2007) However, the task is not easy as it is difficult to capture and measure the implicit relationship, as the expectations are both vague and fast changing. Pate et al (2003) indicated that the impacts of the psychological contract violation are contextual, reinforcing the difficulty in managing the employees expectations. Hiltrop (1996) proposes that the reward schemes should be re-designed carefully if the organizations attempt to re-shape and reinforce the psychological contracts, and enhance the employees loyalty and commitment. The performance of the employees should be monitored continuously and contributions recognized fairly. On the other hand, the systematic and effective training should be provided equally to employees within the organizations, allowing them to develop their skills, knowledge, and to take on more challenging but rewarding tasks. However, even with the full implementation of the schemes suggested by Hiltrop (1996) and other researchers, it is still inevitable to avoid employee losses, the reducing level of commitment and loyalty due to the intensifying talent war and growing competition unless the organization is large and competitive enough. Garavan (2000) terms such phenomenon as economical disadvantages with respect to psychological contracts. The third perspective on contemporary HRD is centered on two parts, organizational learning and learning organization. (Garavan, 2000) This approach is developed from the recognition of the first approach. According to Swart et al (2005) the acknowledgement that the people, together with their skills and knowledge, constitute the sources of the firms competitive advantages urges the organizations to invest in the organizational learning. Compared to the first perspective, the third perspective simply shifts the focus from the simple, unstructured training interventions to learning and development throughout the organization, which is more systematic and organized. (CIPD, 2008) According to Bratton and Gold (2003), the major difference between organizational learning and learning organization is the different objectives set and perceived by the organizations. The former is more biased to the achieve the growth through the learning schemes while the later focus on the development of th e training schemes rather than the growth in the terms of other indicators, usually monetary. Thus, the organizational learning is more about the establishment of the accurate objectives of the organizations, which could facilitate the firms to design the training schemes more specially, while on the other hand, the organizational learning uses more accommodative and wide variety of training schemes. It creates a no-blame approach, using every mistake made as opportunities to learn. (Megginson et al, 1999) Compared to the organizational learning, the learning organization focus more on learning and regard the knowledge creation as a source of the organizations competitive advantages. In a nutshell, all the three perspectives on HRD are not isolated but connected to each other. It is worth mentioning that the study of the HRD should as a result, conducted from the multiple perspectives. It is also recognized that the HRD is becoming more and more strategically important. The major aspects and elements of the strategic HRD will be presented in the following section. Strategic human resource development The strategic human resource development (SHRD) mainly concerns the creation of the learning organization that facilitates learning and development at all levels of the organization, enabling the organizations to improve their performance and attain their competitive advantages. The development of the SHRD should be put in line with the design of the overall corporate strategies. (Bratton and Gold, 2003) According to Wognum (2001), there are three steps to align the SHRD with the development of the overall corporate strategy. Firstly, we have to identify and spot the weakness of the organizations, together with the problems and bottlenecks encountered at the organizational level. Secondly, investigating all the issues separately and assess the potential implications of potential HRD solutions. Finally, implement the HRD solutions properly, making sure the problems could be solved and development achieved with the support of the learning and development. In 1991, Garavan recognizes 9 primary characteristics of SHRD. They are listed as follow: 1. Integration with organizational missions and goals HRD should be put at priority of the strategy setting process of the organizations to ensure it can fit into the business planning smoothly. 2. Top management support the effectiveness could only be achieved if the top management give sufficient attention. 3. Environmental scanning in designing the HRD solutions, the environmental factors, both inside the organizations and outside should be considered. It is necessary for the organizations to carry out detail environmental scanning at the early stage of HRD design. (McCracken and Wallace, 2000) 4. HRD plans and policies in order to fully unleash its strategic implications, the plans and policies should be formulated for HRD, and get incorporated into the overall business strategies and planning. (Garavan, 1991) 5. Line manager commitment and involvement line managers participation and commitment are as important as the involvement of the top management regarding the implementation of SHRD. HRD specialist should design particular schemes that facilitate the involvement of the line managers. However, such proposal faces criticisms. The major limitation is that HRD specialist concerned more about the strategic level planning while line managers focus on the operational level. As a result, the partnership, which is more interactive and bilateral, between HRD specialist and line managers should be established. (Wognum and Lam, 2000) 6. Existence of complementary HRM activities the association between HRM and HRD activities should be aligned as well. ODonnel and Garavan (1997) recognized the importance of the integration between the HRD policies and plans with all other HRM process, including recruitment, appraisal, and rewards. 7. Expanded trainer role the trainer should be given more responsibilities in designing the training schemes as they are closely connected to the employees of different levels. Their roles are more strategic than used to be. 8. Recognition of culture the HRD should be planted as part of the culture of the organizations, becoming the values of the organizations that drive the firms growth and sustainability. 9. Emphasis on evaluation the evaluation of the implications of HRD is an indispensable part of the SHRD. Although the 9 characteristics introduced above seem straightforward and clear-cut, it is difficult task to achieve them all in the real business context. Bratton and Gold (2003) also implied that the SHRD did not merit enough attention in most of the organizations in U.K. The top management only cares about the aspects that have the most direct impacts on the corporations profitability, such as raw material costs and GA expenses. In 2000, McCracken and Wallace tried to reshape the definition of the SHRD and modify the 9 characteristics, making them more proactive. They defined the SHRD as the creation of learning culture, both responding to the corporate strategy and being able to influence it. To put it simply, it is still a long bumpy road for the HRD to become strategic in the management and development of the organizations. One of the key barriers is that the SHRD planning is highly contextual. However, it is insisted that the most effective HRD could be strategic, relevant and unique in any case. It can bring the corporations unique advantages, which are not matched by their counterparts and most importantly, more sustainable than those generated from other corporate strategies. Human resource development in practice As it is difficult to compare the theoretical perspectives without applying them to different real business scenarios, this paper will use the case study of Russells Ltd to illustrate the key aspects of the various perspectives regarding HRD. The major problems and setbacks faced by the organization will be introduced at beginning and the HRD solutions will be given accordingly. Moreover, the people in the organizations responsible for different process of the HRD will be identified and their roles explained as well. Crucial HRD problems in Russells Ltd Russells Ltd is a multinational manufacturing company, of which the business covers a wide range of sectors. The company is going through its tough period as it finds itself hard to maintain its leadership position within the industry. Due to the highly intensified industry environment and the vast changes the organizations have been experienced, the company has decided to sack a huge number of employees, from 2000 works nowadays to less than 800 people in ten years. The negative impacts on the psychological contracts between the employees and the organization will be, definitely impaired as the sense of insecurity among employees and their decreasing trusts with the company starts to dominate within the company. Secondly, to improve the departments effectiveness, Russells Ltd has agreed to use the matrix structure, promoting the project-based working structure. As a result, the company is galloping through a turbulent environment and has to undertake some changes at all level of the organizations. To minimize the negative impacts regarding its HR management, the company has hired some experts at this area and the emphasis is about the training and development that can help improve the employee performance. Thirdly, as the psychological contract becomes weakened, any inappropriate action may further stoke the tensions. Therefore, it is necessary to rebuild the employee commitment as well as enhance their loyalty and flexibility. Moreover, as the company shifts its structure of matrix, project-based nature, it is necessary to develop the multi-skills and fast adaptive employees to make sure the overall performance of the organization will benefit from the structural change. However, it seems that the company failed to align the HRD strategy with the overall corporate strategy. To conclude, the key areas for improvement and solutions needed for HRD include: help the organization manage change through learning and development, improve the performance at all levels of the organization, re-gain the commitment, loyalty and trust from the employees, better align the HRD with the corporate strategy. Solutions for HRD strategy in Russells According to Noel and Dennehy (1991), the organizational reconstructuring provides the opportunity for the companies to improve their HRD strategies and therefore facilitate the companies strategic re-formulation. Russells Ltd is striving to become the company, with its competitive advantages coming from its learning organization, which advocates continuous improvement and constant innovation. As a result, when designing the HRD strategies for Russells Ltd, several issues should be accounted for. Change management As mentioned earlier, the Russells Ltd decided to shift its structure to matrix. This type of structure has both its advantages and pitfalls and HRD specialists should have good understanding of both. First of all, the matrix structure allows a good exchange of ideas from different corners of the organizations and therefore allows better knowledge interaction and integration alongside different organizational departments. (Johnson et al, 2006) However, the overwhelmingly huge information flows may also bring in some confusion. Decisions-making will take more time and the employees may feel ambiguous about their tasks and responsibilities. Therefore, to help smooth the structural change, the communication between the employees and the organizations should be reinforced. At this time, the employees may want to know the process of the restructuring and the downsizing, and also how these changes may impact their work. (Hiltrop, 1996) Organizational visions and objectives should be direct ly channeled to the employees at different levels of the organization. However, it is inevitable to have some resistance from the employees. In this context, the employee empowerment could be used to minimize the friction between the employees and the organization. Performance management The needs of the development at both individual and organizational levels should be specified accurately in order to promote the organizational performance. The performance improvement could only be achieved if the performance appraisal (PA) accurately reflects the development targets and needs required by the performance improvement. The well-designed PA could motivate the employees to learn and develop continuously and to take more challenging but rewarding tasks. (Swart et al, 2005) Moreover, PA represents an opportunity for the management to communicate with the employees from different levels and sectors of the organization. They can together discuss their performance, capabilities, and potential areas for improvement and development. (Bratton and Gold, 2003) Such interaction also facilitates the company in revamping its psychological contracts with the employees, rebuilding their commitment and regaining their trust and loyalty. Through this discussion, the employee involvement is a very important topic that requires the consideration from the HRD specialists. As employees are more aware of the areas that need improvement that the company is, to encourage the employees to participate in the discussion about the PA is very essential. They are not only to listen from the management but should have their own suggestions and opinions. They should have a say in the decision making process. (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2006) This can make employees feel they are the owners of the company. Therefore, the performance management and performance appraisal provides the organization an opportunity to align the organizational goals with employee performance and development. The line managers should work closely with the HRD specialists to identify the key areas for improvement and design the training schemes. (Harrison, 2002) In the longer term, the organization should be able to have its own talent management team, which is able to spot the potential weakness and select the most effective training solutions to improve the employees performances. In the end, it will be expected that the organization itself will have the ability to evolve and improve, a type of learning organization described earlier in this paper. Moreover, it is important to have the schemes that develop the multi-skills employees to make sure the effectiveness of the individuals will not be impaired due to the change of the organizational structure. The project-based nature will also raise the concern for better team communication, which requires a wide range of social and communication skills. (Stwart et al, 2005) Psychological contract As we have discussed before, the employees commitment, trust, as well as their trust with the company may recover during the process of the performance management. However, it still needs extra efforts in rebuilding the relationship between the company and employees. Those who survive during the redundancy should be mentored carefully to make sure they will remain productive. Hiltrop (1996) proposed that the reward system should be refashioned in order to revamp the companys images among employees. In this case, only continuous improvement and learning will be rewarded. Strategic HRD alignment In order to fully carry out the strategic function of HRD, the Russells Ltd should account for the 9 characteristics of SHRD proposed by Garavan (1991). As the organization is attempting to rebuild its leadership position and maintain its competitive advantage through consistent innovation, the learning organization should be built and reward system should be modified carefully to provide incentives for being creative and innovative. It is very essential to form an organizational learning system as Russells Ltd is operating in a very competitive industry. Suggested by McCracken and Wallace (2000), the PESTEL and SWOT analysis have to be applied by both senior and HRD managers. Moreover, as one of the 9 characteristics of SHRD it is necessary to gain the support from both top management and line managers at Russells Ltd. As the HRM department has achieved good results during the past, therefore, it could be assumed there would be little friction from the management and the line manage rs could commit to the changes proposed. However, in order to be more strategic, the HRD should consider more issues surrounding the changing environment. First of all, the role played by trainers should be re-defined. At Russells, the trainers are not just delivering lectures to the employees or design relevant training program, but instead, the facilitators and consultants of the organizational changes. (ODonnell and Garavan, 1997) Secondly and most importantly, it should be recognized that the organizational transformation may have an impact with greater significance on the organizational culture. The shift to the matrix structure, together with the downsizing may possibly create an atmosphere full of uncertainty and anxiety. As a result, the employees are not able to concentrate in routine work and be resistant to the changes. HRD should attempt to minimize the impacts on the employees and take its best try to form the learning culture. Finally, the HRD should be monitored consistently and any variance should be investi gated and any change necessary should be taken. As a result, there is great possibility that Russells Ltd could manage to carry out its change smoothly in making HRD strategic. However, it should be emphasized that although HRD could be given strategic importance, their functions may vary across different industries and companies. There is no single best HRD strategy. (Biswajeet, 2003) The key players in implementing HRD strategy The design of the efficient HRD strategy is just the beginning of the HRD management. The success of the HRD strategy requires the managers to clearly understand the goals of the HRS strategy and effectively incorporate it into daily management practices. (Hiltrop, 1996) At this case, the key players in implementing HRD strategy would be line managers at Russells Ltd. However, a survey conducted by CIPD (2004) disclosed that a large proportion of line managers are reluctant to take on more responsibilities about learning and development, which are the key to achieve the pre-determined organizational goals. The solution proposed by Wognum and Lam (2000) is to give more authority to line managers over the HRD planning. It is not enough to let line managers participate in the implementation stage. Such employee empowerment may offer more incentives and motives to line managers in pro-actively playing its roles during the HRD strategy implementation process. Moreover, it is recognized by CIPD (2004) that the role of line managers is very important as they are the person who holds the performance appraisal meetings. Therefore, it is necessary to organize training for line managers in carrying out performance appraisals more effectively and smoothly. The skills to monitor, motivate and mentor are equivalently important for line managers if they are going to use more accommodative performance appraisals schemes. (Swart et al, 2005). Conclusion To sum up, although there have been researches describing the importance of HRD, its essence is still under-recognized and there are limited association between the HRD and corporations strategic planning. As the on-going evolution of the HRD and the companies commitment to continuous learning, it will not be far that HRD gains the attention as much as subjects like cost management, marketing do. In this paper, three theoretical perspectives of the HRD are introduced. They are capabilities-driven HRD, the psychological contract, and the organizational learning and learning organization. It is worth mentioning that there is a tendency that all three perspectives are equally important and could not be exercised separately. In the second part of the paper, the Russells Ltd is examined to fully understand how different HRD perspectives could work to offer the company better solutions regarding HRM.

Prevention of Obesity Essay -- Health, Diseases

This Neighbourhood Study aims to research the profile of Hillingdon Borough in relation to the prevention of obesity. An insight into the prevalence of obesity as well as the causes and its effects shall be evaluated. Public health strategies on the prevention of obesity and its effects in relation to Government strategies shall be addressed. A snapshot about the role of the nurse as an educator in relation to this public health issue as well as strategies formulated by Hillingdon PCT to prevent obesity and how it focuses on other diseases associated with obesity shall be discussed. The following section gives a definition of obesity, health, health education and health prevention. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2010) defines obesity and being overweight as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Body mass index (BMI) as Arterburn et al (2008) put forward is a measure of body fat based on height and weight and further suggest that any individual with a BMI of more than 30 is considered as obese. WHO (1986) defines health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Tannahill et al (1999) propound that health education could be viewed as communication activity aimed at enhancing positive health and preventing ill health in individuals and groups by influencing their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour of persons with power and of the community. Butler et al (2008) defines health prevention as the measures for early detection of departure from good health. Whereas Heath (2002) concur that the role and function of the nurse emphasise on health promotion a nd illness prevention, the Department of Health (2003) emphasises on th... ...nitiatives relating to obesity, the exploration of Public health and government strategic concepts of valuing equality and diversity across population receiving health care have be examined. Child obesity is one of the greatest challenges facing Hillingdon PCT. This calls for a multi-agency collaboration between the NHS, local authorities, schools, workplaces, community and commercial enterprises in planning, delivering and maintaining a healthier borough and nation. Focus needs to be emphasised on prevention, as opposed to cure. Nurses need to play a more active role on educating the nation on the dangers of obesity and its associated illnesses. Whether the motivation is on improving health or increasing physical activity; health education directed towards the young can help build an obese free borough and country as the young are the future of tomorrow.

The Three Part Assertion Method :: essays research papers

The Three Part Assertion Method There is a guy two doors down from me, here in the dorm - a nice guy, a bit odd, overly friendly, and oh-so open. His favorite thing to do is prop his door open, play on his computer, and crank the music. I generally like all kinds of music, and I have been known to play it loud from time to time. Well, this guy truly likes all kinds of music, and plays it as loud as his speakers can handle it. It's a good thing he has small speakers. So, here's me, working on my computer, trying to concentrate, meanwhile this dude is down there playing some weird ethnic music, followed by the Star Wars theme song, with a mix of hippie music tossed in, in no certain order. It's a classic scenario. Over and over in my mind I envision myself going down there, screaming at him, telling him my mind, and slamming his door. That would feel great. I haven't done this yet, and probably won't. While reading the Bolton chapter, this scenario replayed itself over and over in my mind. Here is my revised strategy, which might just be used if the guy bothers me again. "When you leave your door open, I can hear your music in my room which makes if difficult for me to get school work done. I love music too, and certainly don't want you to not enjoy it, but please don't force others to 'enjoy' it with you. I noticed that when your door is closed, I can no longer hear it in my room and there is no problem. Thanks! So, what exactly are playing there? I have this great game.." The first sentence of this quote uses Bolton's tactic. The feeling part, hostility and frustration, of it is implied. The last part implies that I intend to remain friendly and hold no grudges. To be consistent with the project objectives, I will briefly explain a real situation in which I could have used the three part assertion method. Five years ago, at the age of 19, I worked at a local Western Sizzlin in Harrisburg as a waiter. I was one of the best servers there and made out well in tips. There were two parts to each customer experience that determined my tip, and this is basically true for every restaurant: my personal service, and the food. I had my side down cold. The cooks, not a chance. One morning, things were busy and the cooks were especially bad.

Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol :: Education Poverty Public Schools

Savage Inequalities, written by Jonathan Kozol, shows his two-year investigation into the neighborhoods and schools of the privileged and disadvantaged. Kozol shows disparities in educational expenditures between suburban and urban schools. He also shows how this matter affects children that have few or no books at all and are located in bad neighborhoods. You can draw conclusions about the urban schools in comparison to the suburban ones and it would be completely correct. The differences between a quality education and different races are analyzed. Kozol even goes as far as suggesting that suburban schools have better use for their money because the children's futures are more secure in a suburban setting. He thinks that each child should receive as much as they need in order to be equal with everyone else. If children in Detroit have greater needs than a student in Ann Arbor, then the students in Detroit should receive a greater amount of money. My perception was changed completely after reading this book, I never knew that so many schools were situated in the ghettos and were so badly overcrowded or only had two toilets working for about 1000 students, and no toilet paper. What really upsets me is the fact that within the exact same city limits, there are schools situated in the suburbs which average 20 per classroom and have enough supplies and computers for every child to receive one as their own. Of course the majority of these suburban schools are dominantly white and the urban schools hold the minorities. The dropout rates that are listed in the book are ridiculous. Most of the children drop out in secondary school and never receive a proper education because of the lack of supplies or lack of teachers' interests. The majority of the kids are black or Hispanic in the poor schools and the suburban schools hold the upper-class white children and the occasional Asian or Japanese children who are in the gifted classe s. The small population of blacks and Hispanics that go to the schools are placed into the "special" classrooms and their "mental retardations" can be blamed for their placements. The majority of these students are not mental and they belonged in a regular classroom among whites and Asians. Kozol argues that the system is separate and unequal and he builds upon his hypothesis until it becomes credible.

Imporatance of 3 Period Name Lesson Essay

For the purpose of giving a clear perception of an idea in association with language, Montessori advised that the â€Å"three period lesson† of Seguin should be used. The periods are: 1st period: â€Å"The association of the sensory perception with the name†. Example: Give the child a large and a small cylinder and say â€Å"this is large† and â€Å"this is small. † 2nd period: â€Å"Recognition of the object corresponding to the name. † Example: Ask the child to indicate which is the large cylinder and which is the small cylinder. rd period: â€Å"the remembering of the name corresponding to the object. † Example: show the child the large cylinder and say â€Å"what is this? † then show him the small cylinder and say â€Å"what is this? † The 3 period name lesson is very useful because it is very simple and very clear for the child. Furthermore the teacher does not ask the child to actually name the object until she is sure he can recognize it. The importance of the three period lesson can’t be underestimated. This tool can be used anywhere. In the classroom we use it to introduce letter sounds, number values and symbols, continent names, plants and animals, but it is not limited just to the classroom. It can also be used in the playground, in the kitchen, at music lessons, even at the super market. It can even be used to introduce object names in a second language. There is no limit to how this lesson can be used because, under the right circumstances, there is no limit to the amount of information a child between the ages of 3 and 6 is capable of absorbing. The real beauty of the three period lesson is that it allows Montessori teachers to meet each child exactly where they are. In other words, the technique allows the children as much time as they need to learn each new concept – some children will absorb a concept quickly and only need the lesson once or twice while other children may want to be given the lesson many times until they are confident enough to move on.

World War II Through the 1970’s

In this paper I will go into details explains two major historical turning points that occurred during the period of World War II through the 1970’s, and the effect it had on today’s society, economy, politics and culture. In this paper I will also give two reasons why in the late 30’s Americans wanted to remain out of the European conflict.In this paper I will talk about the role women played to helped win World War II, will describes two civil rights breakthroughs, explain two ways the Vietnam War brought political awareness to a new generation of young Americans and I will talk about two programs that president Lyndon Johnson Great Society Agenda had put into effect and that are still into effect today. A turning point was in 1962, the world experienced a threat so real, so dangerous, and so deadly; that any believed Armageddon was approaching. The Cuban Missile Crisis was undoubtedly the closest the world has come to nuclear war in its entire existence.The pr esence of Soviet nuclear warheads on Cuban soil, less than 100 miles from the coast of Florida shocked the world. The discovery of the missiles was completely unexpected; the public's reaction was not. Thousands of people stockpiled food, students were trained to survive nuclear holocaust and civilians built bomb shelters in their back yards. It was the most shocking event of the 20th Century. The second turning point was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 27, 1963 where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his I Have A dream speech on the steps on the Lincoln Memorial.Two Historical Points There are many major historical points during this period of time such as Pearl Harbor, Integrating in Baseball, the murder of Emmett Till, Brown v. Board of Education, Civil Rights Movement, Black Power Movement, Chicano Movement, the assassination of President Kennedy, Malcolm X, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and Robert Kennedy, Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. In m y opinion all of these events had effect on today’s society. One of the historical points is bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 4, 1941. A Japanese bomber attacked the United States pacific fleet.This attacked killed 2,403 Americans at the same time Japan also attacked American positions in the Philippines, Guam, and Midway Islands as well as Hong Kong and Malaysia. President Roosevelt declared that December 7th would become a date which will live in infamy. On December 8, 1941 declared war and on December 11th Adolf Hitler declared war on United States making it a world war. ( Schultz, 2012 p,413) The Watergate Scandal is known for its complex web of serious political scandals that occurred during 1972 and 1974. At the time the president was Richard M.Nixon, this scandal would change his Life and his legacy and the lives of many people involved as well as the Americans view of political leaders. During Nixon successful reelection bid in 1972, five men were arrested breaking into the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate Hotel in Washington D. C. One of the men worked directly for Nixon’s Committee (CREEP). (Shultz,2012 p. 474) Many things were found out during the long investigation including the unveiling that President Nixon was taping all the conversations in the White House.Also Nixon’s vice president Agnew was also admitted to tax evasion. There was also many other things that came to light during the Watergate Scandal leading Americans to have major distrust within the entire leaders of our country. Today political leaders and everyone for that matter grasp the idea that no one is above the law. I believe the biggest outcome of the Watergate Scandal would be the realization that the â€Å"freedom of press† defined in the First Amendment can be held up and used to print and report on if the information is true. Stay out of European AffairsThe disinclination of Americans to become too closely involved with Eur opean affairs was also reflected in the Administration’s refuge policies. As the Nazis steeped up their persecution of Jews and other minorities, a steady trickle of German Jews sought refuge in countries around the world. ( America’s Decades 1930’s p. 343) The people of the United States had many reason as to why the wished to stay neutral in what became World War II. First from my understanding Americans were still trying to recover from World War I and also the Great Depression.America suffered from so many devastating blows financially during the Great Depression. They felt as if we should concentrate on recovering here at home first rather than going overseas and incurring more financial problems. The second reason I think Americans wanted to remain out of the European Conflict is because of a man named Adolf Hitler. Although Adolf Hitler did many horrible unforgiving things during his time Americans took a liking to him at first. This was simply because Hi tler pulled Germany out a horrible economic depression in record breaking time.Americans thought that if Hitler had enough power and wisdom to help Germany so swiftly then why should be fight such a strong and very smart power. Women Role in WWII Women played a very significant role during the World War II to help the United States achieve a win. During the World War II many women found themselves left at home trying to do whatever they could to make ends meet. Hundreds of thousands of women went to work in factories taking the place of many male jobs. During the war around 350,000 women enlisted into various branches of the armed forces working mainly as nurses and secretaries.A great achievement women made during the war was becoming Air Force service pilots. This gave males the opportunity to leave the service aspect of the military to join in actual combat. Women made up a major part of the Red Cross lending hand to wounded soldiers to help heal and get them back to combat statu s. Civil Rights Breakthrough Between the end of World War II and the passing of the passing of Civil Rights Act in 1964 many Africa Americans devoted their lives to fighting devoted their lives to fighting social injustices. Like much of United States society in 1940’s professional baseball was segregation.The Major League was for white players only. When it came to African America baseball player they were restricted to the Negro League with received little press. Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him on April 15, 1947. As the first African American to Major League Baseball Robinson had to endure racial taunts, threat, and death letter by fans of the game. He also had to death with it from other players and his teammates, some players shunned him or kicked him with spike shoes as he ran bases. (America’s 1940 p. 122) Robinson played at top level he batted .97 in his rookie year, won National League Rookie of the Year and l ed the Dodgers to 1947 World Series. Just elven weeks after Jackie Robinson integrated baseball Larry Doby deducted with the Cleveland Indians. Robinson was the first African American inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 . In 1951 suit was filed against the Topeka Board of Education at a state level with the help of the NAACP. Unfortunately the case was lost, but got taken on by the Supreme Court. After a long battle inBrown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansa decided by the Supreme Court in 1954, is considered the case that began to dismantle legal segregation.It brought together five discrimination suits being filed across the country against locally segregated school system where blacks’ schools were found to be inadequate. The case argued by Charles Hamilton Houston, James Nabritt, Thurgood Marshall ( who became the first African American Supreme Court Justice) who had applied for to University of Maryland Law School and was refused because of his race. ( Legacy Treasures of Black History p. 171) The murder of Emmett Louis Till was an African American boy who was murdered in Mississippi he was only fourteen.It was reported that he was flirting with a white woman named Carolyn Bryant. Several nights later Bryant’s husband and half-brother took Till from his great uncle house and brought him to a barn where they beat him and gouged out one of his eyes then they shoted him in the head. They dispose his body in the Tallahatchie River weighting it down with a 70 pound cotton gin. Till body was found three days later he body was returned to Chicago, Illinois to his mother where she insisted on a public funeral with an open casket to show the world the brutality of the murder of her son.Ten of thousands attended the funeral or viewed his casket and images of his mutilated body was publish in Jet magazine and newspapers. Emmett Till murder is noted as a pivotal event motivating the Civil Rights moment. That December of 1955 in Montgomery, A labama Rosa Park refused to give her seat up and was arrested that spark a boycott of the public bus system in Montgomery, Alabama that last thirteen months. Vietnam War While Vietnam started in 1955 the United States did not enter until roughly 1961.America wanted to remain out of this war but ultimately succumb to the realization that we intervene if we did not want communism to spread any farther than it already had. As of today the Vietnam War is known for its dramatic bloodshed with the losses of so many lives and also for that to date is the only war United States lost due to withdrawing from the war. Today we can see the effects of the war economically because all of the health problems we see in the veterans of the war. We help to pay for the medical bills of proud men that served our country during that time.Our veterans today still suffer greatly from port traumatic stress disorder and drug dependencies. The war was also very costly not in just that thousands of lives were lost but also financially. The Vietnam War brought political awareness to a new generation of young Americans in many ways. The war weakened public faith in government, and in the honesty of its leaders. A high degree of suspicion and distrust toward authority of all kind was felt by most Americans. Also Americans discredited the military for a long time to come. Americans would come to never have respect for or trust public institutions again like they had before the war.President Johnson’s Great Society President Lyndon Johnson did many great things for our country, including what is called his â€Å"Great Society† agenda. While the Great Society agenda had many aspects of it, I think one of the dynamics that still stands today and is very important to us is the Economic Opportunity Act (EOA) of 1964. The EOA was created to do many things but a few are commonly still heard about. For example the EOA created a program called Head Start. Head Start is provides many th ings including education, parent involvement, health, nutrition, and family support services to low income families.The EOA also created the Job Corps which is still in operation today. Job Corps is a free training and education program that helps low income young people aged 16 to 21 earn a high school diploma, learn a career, and find and keep a career. Another program that was created in 1965 under Johnsons Great Society was Medicare. Medicare is in full force still in today’s time. Medicare is a national insurance program, regulated by the U. S. federal government; it guarantees access to health insurance for Americans for younger people with disabilities and for those ages 65. (Shultz 2012 p. 458)

ENG1501 Assignment 1 Essay

1) ABAB CDCD EFEF GG 2) The first three quatrains or line 1-12 of William Shakespeare’s Poem My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun can easily be seen as an insulting and negative tone â€Å" If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun† â€Å"Than in the breath of my mistress reeks† . But in truth the tone of the poem is humoristic, realistic and philosophical ,and as the poem progresses the true tone also progresses because although her lips aren’t coral red, her breasts not white as snow her hair not shiny he still loves her as she is and he doesn’t make her into something that she is not. â€Å" And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare† The poem can also be seen as a satire to the conventional poets of the time and their unrealistic image of true beauty, and shows it to be predictable and a clichà © 3) At first glance it might seem as if he is mocking her. But he is actually mocking and undermining the Pet rarchan sonnets and metaphors of the time The poet does not render a false image of his mistress, he compares her with the most beautiful objects in nature in the first two quatrains â€Å" My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun. Coral is far more red than her lips red. If snow be white then her breasts are dun† this states the poet will not compliment her on a quality she does not have but he is still in love with her â€Å"And yet, by heaven , I think my love as rare. As any she belied with false compare† 4) My Mistress’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun is not a classical Petrarchan sonnet. The poet will rather comment on the physical attributes his lover lacks in line 1-12 â€Å" My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun† And state that he still loves her the way she is , than to portray his love for his mistress in an unrealistic , romanticized way that is a clichà © â€Å"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare. As any she belied with false compare† Shakespeare’s use of the unrealistic comparisons made by his fellow poets gives the sonnet a humoristic twist. 5) The poet uses simile in line 1† My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun† which he uses to compare his lovers eyes to the brightness of the sun A metaphor uses the word †like†. In line 2-4 the poet uses Petrarchen conceit metaphor. The poet compares his mistress to nature and the beauty it holds. The poet also uses a metaphor in line 6, where he compares her pale cheeks to roses. The poet uses personification in line 4 â€Å" If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head†. He speaks of the wires like they are an object on their own and not part of his lover. 6) Yes, even in today’s society women are expected to be almost unrealistically beautiful, and meet the standards set by society and the media. Women everywhere are made to belief that all other women have perfect hair, nails and skin every day, when the reality is that no women will look flawless as the magazines and television portray without the help of make-up, a hairstylist and in some cases photo shop or even plastic surgery. Women are pressured to live up to the expectation of big bright eyes, full red lips, flawless skin, soft and shiny hair,â€Å" My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips’ red; If now be white, why then her breasts are dun ; If hairs be wires ,black wires grow on her head†. 7) The couplet at the end of the poem line 13-14 â€Å" And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.† shifts the tone from humoristic to loving and compassionate. The couplet shows us that even with all her flaws he still loves her unconditionally, and will not change her into anything she isn’t. Bibliogrophy 1) Byrne.D , Kalua.F & Scheepers.R 2012. Foundations in English Literary Studies. ENG1501 study guide. Page 12, 13, 31, 33. University of South Africa. Mucklneuk, Pretoria. 2) Shakespeare , W. Sonnet 130 3) Moffet , H & Mphahlele,E. 2002. Seasons come to pass. A poetry anthology for Southern African Students. 2nd edition. Page 24 &25. Cape Town :Oxford University Press

Is Chinua Achebe Correct in Asserting That Heart of Darkness Is Essentially a Racist Novel Essay

Chinua Achebe’s’ expresses his view on Heart of Darkness as an essentially racist novel and he is correct in saying this. His essay focuses mainly on the portrayal of the Congo as an ‘other world’ in which Conrad describes it to be an antithesis of Europe and the European standards and overall of civilisation as a whole. The racism presented by Conrad in the novel is evident through his manipulation of perspective and dehumanisation of the native Africans as discussed in Achebe’s essay. Joseph Conrad manipulates the perspective of the reader and the attitude they have towards the natives and Europeans alike through the bestowal of human expression to Europeans and the withholding of it from the Africans, as Achebe explains. When comparing the description of the two women, the African woman and European woman, the reader is able to depict a subtle yet definite difference in the way each woman’s expression is characterised. The African woman, who is seen to be as a mistress to Mr Kurtz, is illustrated as a very mysterious figure ‘’with an air of brooding over an inscrutable purpose’’ making her character unidentifiable. Whereas the European woman is talked about more clearly and the reader can easily recognise her character because she is given emotions and feeling, ‘’she had a mature capacity for fidelity, for belief, for suffering’’. In Conrad characterising each woman in such different ways, the reader feels as though the European woman is more relatable as opposed to the native woman who is not expressed with feelings. This lack of human expression in the description of the African woman, as commented on by Achebe, created a noticeable barrier between the complexity of natives and Europeans. For the most part, the natives are not given any dialogue but instead their speech is replaced with ‘’a violent babble of uncouth sounds’’. Achebe however, refers to two significant parts of the novel when native Africans are given English dialogue. These are when the cannibals request the humans to eat, ‘’catch ‘im. Give ‘im to us. ’’. As well as the famous announcement, ‘’Mistah Kurtz—he dead’’. When first read, the reader thinks of these as high points for the natives because they appear to be at the same level as the Europeans in terms of getting dialogue ithin the novel. Chinua Achebe opposes this by stating that in reality they constitute some of his best assaults as these examples of dialogue in fact degrade the natives. This changes the reader’s perspective into assume that through the use of grunts and incoherent speech they are inferior and inarticulate in comparison t o the language used by the Europeans. This difference in amount and quality of dialogue between the Africans and colonising Europeans contributes to making Heart of Darkness an essentially a racist novel. The novel reveals the Africans being reduced to metaphorical expanse of dangerous and dark jungle of animals into which the European colonists venture. Chinua Achebe is correct in criticising Heart of Darkness as a racist novel, this is seen particularly through Conrad’s dehumanisation of the Congolese natives. Throughout the novel Conrad’s descriptions of the natives are used to create the idea of uncivilised, savage being whom cannot be of the same standards as the Europeans. Conrad’s most effective way of dehumanising the African people is through his use of imagery, ‘’a whirl of black limbs, as mass of hands’’. This does not give the impression that these are human beings but instead that they are just parts of humans, therefore making them seem incomplete and inferior in comparison the way Europeans are described. This imagery is also important when Conrad describes native workers as ‘’decaying machinery’’, this creates the image that the Congolese are not valued as humans, as Europeans are, but rather as disposable articles who can easily be replaced after they have done their work. The language choices in which Conrad has made also have a great impact on the way the natives are perceived. By using phrases such as ‘’the beaten nigger groaned somewhere’’, the Congolese natives are referred to in a very uncivilised manner. A way in which no European would ever be described leads the reader to believe that the Africans are in fact inferior to the Europeans, making them less of a human. These descriptions make it evident that Conrad’s writing involving the natives made them appear beast-like and savage therefore dehumanising them in a way that can only be seen as racist. Although these racial depictions may not be used to knowingly dehumanise and objectify the Congolese people, Chinua Achebe rightly criticises Heart of Darkness as a racist novel. The constant comparison between the two cultures, African and European, are simply explained as one being civilised whereas the other is portrayed as savage. The unavoidable reality that Conrad’s descriptions of the natives were accurate expressions of the European perspective justifies Achebe’s assertion that Heart of Darkness is essentially a racist novel.

Summary paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Summary paper - Essay Example The article further explains the way of life in the Akan society beginning with the process of creating a village, which then grows into a town. An Akan village has a head while a town in Akan has a stool of power and a chief as the center of the power. The article entitled The Akan people by Adu-Amankwah provides basic information about the Akan people. The article explains that the live in central Ghana and speak the Akan language which is a collection of various dialects. The dialects they speak influence their identity since the people are often categorized in such groups. Among the existing groups based on the variety of dialects, include Wassa, Asante, Fante, Bono, Akyem, Kwahu and Akuapem. The author of the article cites several historians as he provides a detailed of the Akan people. He explains that the lived in independent kingdoms founded by refugees from Kumbu, a kingdom that consisted of twenty-seven states and was destroyed by Songhay in 1470. The economic activities of the Akan people include hunting, farming and fishing. The article, Akan kinship terms, provides a detailed analysis of kinship in the Akan society. In doing this, the article explains that the Akan people believe in extended family system. The system is material in nature. With such an exciting yet informative introduction, the article proceeds to provide translations of some basic kinship names to English despite admitting that most of such names have no direct equivalent in English. Such terms include papa for father but the term Agya may refer to father too. Maame is for mother while Eno /Awo is an equivalent for affection though not directly transplanted as such. Nua is for sibling, kunu refers to a husband and yere for wife. A child is a significant individual in a society and the Akan refer to a child as ba. Greetings on the other hand is an article that discuses the type of greetings in the Akan society. The article begins by acknowledging that greeting is a personal

English-LCS-In Civilization and Its Discontents, Freud argues that Essay

English-LCS-In Civilization and Its Discontents, Freud argues that above all things human beings seek happiness. However, according to Freud, there are a nu - Essay Example ee our enemy as people – as somebody’s father or son or brother or uncle.† (Williams) She was also forced to comply with a certain mode of order and has experienced the discrimination against women in the military. "Sometimes, even now, I wake up before dawn and forget I am not a slut.... The only other choice is bitch. If youre a woman and a soldier, those are the choices you get" she said. And yet she prefers it over the apathetic outside world. The gypsies in Fonseca’s book were severely illiterate harshly discriminated. They â€Å"were incarcerated with Jews †¦ The total number of gypsies brought into a ghetto was eleven dead and 4,996 living. Of those, 2,686 were children." Fonseca further narrates that as the gypsies â€Å"were marched, others joined our group, more Gypsies and more gendarmes. Some babies died along the way, and some would-be escapees were shot, left by the roadside. We were in a camp about two weeks with hardly any food. More people died as typhus broke out, and others were killed. The dead were thrown into a huge pit covered with quicklime. There were layers and layers of dead. We were herded into cattle cars." And yet they do not depart from their culture and traditions. And though they do want acceptance from our society, they do not fall head over heals to embrace our norms. They are happy as they are if we just leave them be. For the average Joe, it would seem that gypsies’ and William’s sense of happiness is beyond understanding. How can you be happy when you cannot even read, you do not belong and certain societies treat you as second class humans? How can you be happy living in a rigid community with strict rules that command you on every detail of your living? According to Freud, civilization is what "describes the whole sum of achievements and the regulations which distinguish our lives from those of our animal ancestors and which serve two purposes namely to protect men against nature and to adjust their mutual

Education Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Education - Personal Statement Example However, I should also add that my experience as a nurse instills in me a lot of learning which cannot be solely provided by a study of theoretical concepts. My formal educational experience starts when I entered grade school with my mom. I can still remember how excited I am to be at school with my playmate. However, that excitement to be with my peers is replaced by the stronger desire to learn new things especially on mathematics and sciences. Throughout grade school and high school, I have developed an interest in the functioning of the human body which coupled with my desire to extend my innate compassion to other people supported my goal to be a nurse. After high school, I enrolled at a vocational course which instilled in me the knowledge of caring for people. The theoretical concepts I have learned from vocational school is further enhanced as I apply it to my career as nurse. Inside the classroom, I have developed the ability to memorize procedures and processes but it remains useless until I was able to apply it to care for other person. Being a nurse at work became an integral part of my education as it mold me into a more lov ing and caring individual. It strengthened my character and challenged my sense of responsibility. As I pursue an associate degree in nursing, I can still feel how excited I am to begin this new phase of my education.

English - Thesis Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

English - Thesis Statement - Essay Example Of course, like any other human construct, online education has its weaknesses. However, merely citing the weaknesses of this alternative module as a way of forestalling its growth is to fail to grasp the very essence, purpose of education, IT technological development and globalization. The same approach also reeks of the absence of pragmatism since pragmatism may help to practically integrate desirable elements outside online learning modules. Body There are many who propose the disbandment of distance learning merely because of its alleged shortcomings. However, this approach is not only akin to throwing out the baby with the bathwater, but also fails to grasp the main purpose of distance learning, as shall be seen forthwith. First, it will be important to absolve high school and elementary level of education from the use of distance learning. This is mainly because elementary and high school going students are still too young to benefit from distance learning. The nature of dista nce learning on the other hand accords the subscriber a laissez faire condition in terms of time allocation, concentration and the degree of input. The corollary to this is that distance learning heavily relies on self-discipline on the side of the student. It is highly uncertain that high school students will have the degree of self-control to consistently steer clear of the allure of online social networks for instance. Likewise, it is very unlikely that high school students and elementary school goers have a strong grasp on foundational knowledge necessary for independently tolerating and grasping extensive and more complex distance learning discourse. The crux of the matter herein is that with concepts being taught without an actual instructor to give a blow-by- blow account or illustration of a concept, high school and elementary learners are likely to be left more confused than enlightened. On the other hand, students in tertiary level of learning are more intellectually matur e, disciplined and self-accountable. The intellectual maturity of this group is one that is readily manifested by the qualification for college or university entry. Self-discipline is high in this group, when compared to high school and elementary students. The degree of self-accountability among learners in tertiary level of education is underscored by this group being self-reliant. For instance, this group is the most economically responsible. In the same vein, the failure to concentrate in education is bound to bear directly on the group’s economic success, career or the prospects of getting or securing a decent job. Therefore, it is better and more meaningful to engage adults in tertiary level of learning. Secondly, in order to make ameliorations on distance learning, regulating operations of universities and colleges must be taken seriously. The gravity of the foregoing is that community colleges that wish to offer distance learning should be restricted to the issuance o f technical and trade certifications. All degree-issuing learning institutions that operate through distance learning must have a charter that belongs to a physical university, if they must issue these degrees. The gravity of this proposal is that no distance or online learning university operates on its own. The academic and nonacademic prerequisites that are to be used for admission must be uniform. The cutoff points that are being used to admit pupils into colleges or universities must also be applicable in distance

ATP biochemistry in the CNS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ATP biochemistry in the CNS - Essay Example It can be said to be a high energy molecule which is responsible for the storage of the energy required to carry out daily activities. Hence all the physiological mechanism in our body acquire energy for operation directly from Adenosine triphosphate. Cells maintain a supply of Adenosine phosphate through the oxidisation of food, as this releases energy. A remarkable ability of Adenosine triphosphate is that it may be involved in many reactions simultaneously, extracting and releasing energy at the same time. Adenosine Tri Phosphate in order to send messages and control chemical reaction is used as an on-off switch (Guyton& Hall 2000).  . Adenosine Tri phosphate induces the purinergic receptors in the brain (Matsuoka & Ohkubo, 2004). It may stimulate them directly or as a co-transmitter. This action is carried about via the P2 purinergic receptors. Adenosine Triphosphate is composed of an adenosine molecule attached to 3 phosphate groups. Adenosine itself is a purine nucleoside and has a role in not only various biochemical processes in the body but also serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter (Fredholm, Chen, Masino & Vaugeois, 2005). The formation of Adenosine triphosphate requires the addition of 3 phosphate groups to the Adenosine backbone. Adenosine is first converted into Adenosine monophosphate, then to Adenosine di phosphate and finally to Adenosine Triphosphate. ... Adenosine Tri phosphate is vital for all living cells, processes within the cell cannot use the energy stored in the bonds of a glucose molecule, and they have to rely on Adenosine triphosphate. Thus it is present in all living cells, and is particularly highly concentrated in the presynaptic terminals. This is because presynaptic terminals require a lot of energy for the maintenance of the resting membrane potential and the release of neurotransmitters (Burnstock 2013). Along with this, it is also the neurotransmitter in multiple areas of the brain. The neurotransmitter action is believed to be mediated by Adenosine Tri Phosphate as well as adenosine. And attempts to differentiate between the role of Adenosine Tri Phosphate and adenosine on post-synaptic terminals has been futile so far. Although their mechanism of action is different, they seem to have similar role in the postsynaptic cell. Adenosine Tri Phosphate acts via the P2X and P2Y receptors on the postsynaptic cell, and use s Ca++ as the second messenger. Meanwhile this Adenosine Tri Phosphate is also gradually broken down by hydrolysis to Adenosine Monophosphate and then to Adenosine by enzymes present on the surface of the plasma membrane (Dasgupta, Ferre?, Kull, Hedlund, Finnman, Ahlberg, Arenas, Fredholm, & Fuxe 1996). Ecto-alkaline phosphatase is thought to be the major enzyme in the formation of adenosine in the synaptic cleft. Adenosine then activates the A1 and A2 receptors and further augments the role of Adenosine Tri Phosphate. A1 and A2 receptors use cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate as the second messenger inside the cells and their activation leads to an increase in