Gender Inequality Across All Professions - 1799 Words

In the past half century, America has seen a historic decline in gender inequality across many realms of society. Women have reached levels of success that they never have before, finding equality in education, employment and political representation. Yet despite these gains, inequality remains a persistent issue. It is particularly prominent in the workplace, where women face the glass ceiling effect and a significant gender wage gap across all professions. A closer look at the competing explanations – broadly defined as meritocratic versus structural – shows that although the first may play a role in unequal pay, the second, which encompasses systemic problems of discrimination and gender â€Å"pay penalties,† contribute quite significantly†¦show more content†¦So why does a country that values economic growth and gender equality have such a persistent wage gap? Two basic concepts exist for explaining this inequality. The primary one is the â€Å"widely shared and deeply institutionalized belief in meritocracy† (Cech, 2010, p. 371). This belief infers that individuals will gain advantages in a society through their work and their will power, and that those who don’t manage to get ahead are responsible for their own shortcomings and losses. The second explanation uses systemic or structural factors in society that work against individuals to explain inequality. Examples of this include a person’s race, their pre-existing economic status, or disabilities they suffer, all of which could subject the individuals possessing them to social discrimination and thus provide a barrier to advancement or economic gain. Cech (2010) argues that these perceptions are significant in that they inform the specific decisions that people make in movements toward equality. While most Americans believe in the meritocratic explanation for inequality, Cech (2010) argues that different work and social situations will influence what people believe about gender inequality, whether it be meritocratic or structural. For example, lower-class workers tend to hold more structural beliefs, as do primary breadwinners/single mothers. Married women and those with higher-level jobs in their field have a greater tendency

Becoming a Guidance Counselor Free Essays

string(130) " As a child that attended Montessori school I can say that many of my most memorable moments in my education were at that school\." Every classroom presents an exclusive community of learners that varies not only in abilities, but also in so many learning styles. In education it is my role as an educator to give children the tools with which to grow their own gardens of knowledge. To accomplish this goal, I will teach to the needs of each child so that all learners can feel capable and successful. We will write a custom essay sample on Becoming a Guidance Counselor or any similar topic only for you Order Now I will present curriculum that involves the interests of the children and makes learning relevant to life, but also be able to make sure that I am able to achieve the goals of the district in a manner that learning is enjoyable. I will integrate themes, integrated units, projects, group work, individual work, and hands-on learning in order to make children active learners. This allows children to have amazing teach-able moments. Finally, I will tie learning into the world community to help children become caring and active members of society. All of these beliefs will allow me to become a successful Guidance counselor. Becoming a guidance counselor allow me to have a more one on one relationship with students. In many cases you are able to teach children in small group setting teaching ideas that children are able to take for the rest of their lives. Having a guidance counselor that is able to advocate for the children is so important. Education has changed through the years in my option it has changed for the better. In the United States many children are able to attend Private, Charter, or Public schools. In the early 1840’s you were not able to attend any school unless you were able to pay for the education. It was in Horace Mann in Massachusetts and Henry Barnard in Connecticut where they saw a need for free education. They were able to show that there was a need for quality education in order to prevent crime in the community. It was then that at the end of the 19th century all American children were able to get free education. It was not until 1918 that all states passed a law requiring all students to go to at least elementary school. Private schools were then created by many Catholics because they disagreed with the beliefs of the public schools. With private, catholic, and charter it all raises an issue should all education be the same for everyone? If it was up to me I would have to say no. The logic is because I believe that teachers have the right to be able to decide the way that they would like to teach. As a teacher in a school I like to be able to share lessons with my colleagues but I want them to make the lesson their own. I think this is the same for schools; all schools should be able to have the same guidelines but be able to make it their own. In the 1990’s the public schools saw a signifying improvement among the graduation rates. In education I think it is so important that you are able to use each moment of the day as a teachable moment. This is not to say that everything in your day is going to be structured but you have to be able to use every moment as a teachable moment. An example of this is I had a child that every day would run through the cafeteria to get into the line to be first. After several warnings the child ran into a younger child carrying soup the soup then spilled all over the student and the other student that was running. It was then that I was able to use that time as a teach-able moment. I explained to the child that if they were to slow themselves down that this may not have happen. This is not to say that the child will never run again but they may slow down before going into the cafeteria. In the school that I teach in we would say that a â€Å"Windsor knight does what’s right even when nobody is looking†. This is part of character education to teach children that they have to follow the rules even if there is not a teacher around. â€Å"A teacher’s personal philosophy of education is a critical element in his or her approach to guiding children along the path of enlightenment. – Barbara Wilt† In Idealism believes in refined wisdom. It is based on the view that reality is a world within a person’s mind. As a result the teaching method is to teach on past heroes. This is something that I think was taught when I was growing up but seems to be pushed out. Realism it is based on the view that reality is what we observe. This shows children the order of society and all information is factual for the children to observe it. The one that I feel is the majority to the technique that I am is Realism. I think that I am capable to have articulated the reality of how things are and that most of the times the children are able to observe how it may be. I think that with technology today this is an easy way to provide this. A wonderful example that we did was that we were able to experience the winter Olympics as a whole school watching what was happening while it was happening. I think that this is also a great example of how in some ways Montessori also runs. Montessori was a philosopher that I wish so many teachers where more like. She was someone that was able to observe the children by giving them an activity in the environment and then allowing them to have the freedom to explore it. I think that many teachers do give them the activity except then are not giving them the freedom to explore. As a child that attended Montessori school I can say that many of my most memorable moments in my education were at that school. It is not only something that I can remember but have taken into my everyday life. It has brought wonderful insight on me as a teacher today. When you think of a teacher you think about the story book character that may be at chalk board. That is not the case. As a teacher you are not only a teacher, mom, staff member, friend, janitor, shoe tier, the list goes on forever. What you are is someone that has to wear many hats all in one day of work. In education you are not able to just have that 9-5 job. You are always thinking about making sure your lesson are finished, or did you get enough snack for all the kids in the class. You are always thinking about how the children may come in the next day: did they sleeping well for the test, are they eating well, and when was the last time they had a bath. This is all something that colleges do not tell you about. Just because your contract may say 8-3 that is not what you work. Your hours go above and beyond that. Many times during the holidays we as teachers have heard that a family does not have a holiday meal so we all get together and take it to them. This is something that as teachers we feel that it is important for every child to have a wonderful holiday. You have to be willing to change your hat whenever it needs to be changed. While working in the school I have learned more then I think any schooling could have ever taught me. I think that Curriculum for every school is important but the most important is how it is taught. Ideal curriculum was brought that there is an â€Å"ideal child† in every child. In this curriculum it wanted children to be able to build self- confidence allowing him/her to set goals and be able to achieve them. Allowing them to be part of an environment that teaches confidence, and endurance success. In this ideal curriculum learning is fun. The teacher is able to make the environment fun but it is up to the students to make the activity fun. I think that this is so important. Many times teachers get caught up with the curriculum and forget that learning is fun. I think that when teachers remember that they have to be there just as long as the students that making them enjoy what is going on in the classroom not only is a positive for the student but for the teacher as well. One way to do this is through Character Education. In the school that I teach in we do Character Education every day. In the morning we have a pledge that is said every day and a character word of the month is added to that pledge. At the end of the pledge we say â€Å"A Windsor knight knows what’s right even when know body is looking†. We are able to then follow this rule whenever someone may not be following it. On each Day 2 in the cycle a class then takes that character word of the month and comes up with a play or a skit for the school to see. This makes learning fun the children not only learn what the character word means but then it also gives them a learning experience. Many teachers may do role plays, or act out a book, make a movie, all done by the children with teacher assistance. In the teaching field you have to be able to change be able to teach on a variety of different stages. Instructional methods are used by teachers to create learning environments and to specify the nature of the activity in which the teacher and learner will be involved during the lesson. While particular methods are often connected with certain strategies, some methods may be found within a variety of strategies. It is the role of the teacher then to make sure you are using the right teaching method for the classroom. I am a believer that you method may change year to year depending on your class. As a teacher you are going to have to be aware of whether you method is working or not. In education the only way that you are able to see if what you have taught is sinking into these little brains is using assessments. As a teacher that is doing them daily before the end of school right now I would state I strongly dislike them. In the scheme of things they really are the only true way to determine how your students are doing. This is a tool that you are able to provide the teachers to not only track how they are teaching but how the students are doing. This is not to say that it should be used to evaluate any teacher but it should be looked at if a whole class assessment is low. These assessments are really used to be able to provide the right intervention for students. It is always an accomplishment in AIS reading when you have a student who comes in below grade level and with this intervention they then leave at the end of the year above grade level. This is not only an accomplishment for the child but the teachers as well. On the flip side I understand that education is now filled with tests and these children are always taking test and we are expected to know more now than ever. I don’t think this all bad. I think that if are able to use these as an assessment tool for the children. In doing this it allows the children to receive AIS services, Special education services, and enrichment, all from an assessment. In New York State we have state test which allow the students to receive AIS intervention programs if they score a low number on the test. It is a great way to see if these children need a little extra help. In schools today it is a teacher job to explain the rules and roles of everyone in the school. In many schools today we try enforce that just like teachers, aids, nurses, bus drivers, that they as kids also have a job and that there’s may be the most important one of all. Their job is to learn. School is supposed to be a learning environment and sometimes family’s think of it more as a daycare. With this in mind the thoughts then pass on to the children. It is our job as educators to let the children know the correct way to act as a student. It is important that children take school seriously. It saddens me to hear in elementary school that a child did not come to school because they did not feel like getting up in the morning and the parent had to work third shift and was not there to wake them. This is part of society but we have to make sure that the children in the society realize that a good education is the best gift that society is able to give them. As an educator in an elementary school I come across many cases that the child may have several strikes against them. One example of this is a mentor student that I have right now. There are 5 children in the family the parents work different shifts they have been kicked out of the house due to not paying their rent and now are living in a camper in the back of the grandmother house. Four of the children come to school and the baby stays home with whoever is home so they do not have to pay child care. The middle brother has a hard time in school. He is always feeling like nobody likes him and cares for him so he acts out in class. I have sat down with him and talked to him several times and he has told me that the only one that cares for him is his other grandmother and he is not allowed to see her unless he is good. We have many cases just like these in our school and every case is different. In the classroom many times the children act out for attention. They do not care whether it is negative or positive attention they just want that one on one interaction. Many times due to outside circumstances the children become below level grade level in the school work. In these cases intervention is something that would have to take place. After an evaluation you would be able to determine how much intervention the child may need. In this case this child receives AIS math and Reading because he many times is out of the classroom because he is in the time-out room due to an outburst in the classroom. He is also provided with a mentor that makes up a schedule with the child. I am actually his mentor and we meet twice a week. During this time we have a nice lunch in my classroom and then do something fun go outside, play a game, watch some of a movie, or sometimes have special desert. This is something that is one on one with the child in a non-negative situation. I also talk to him during this time about what is happening at home and things that he could do to improve his school work. Many times during the year he will come to me for help get a project done that he knows he may not receive the help at home. He also receives intervention from the social workers that come to the building they are able to do an assessment to tell whether he may need to be assessed further from an outside facility. All of these interventions are things that schools have to do to help these at risk students. I think that with the world as it is today children are dealing with things that they should not have to deal with at such an early age. We as educators have to be there to pick up many of the pieces. Times have changed and we are the ones that have to shape these children into whom they are and who they are going to be. In New York State the thought is that â€Å"The sooner problems are identified and intervention services begin, the sooner the children are on their way to academic success. † (NYSUT). It is so true once you are able to identify the problem then you are able to get the services that the child may need. In order to be able to identify you need to really understand that child, which sometimes takes time. In many jobs there may be a right way to do things and a wrong way but education is different. Teaching is something that not every person is cut out for. You really have to dig deep to see if you are cut out to be a teacher. I know that I am, I have worked in the school for 4 years and I could not have asked for a better job. It is a hard job and I work more the just what I am suppose to but that is because I want the best for the children in the school. I love to see their faces when they come in the morning smiling or if you have a sad face it is my job to figure what is wrong and try to make it right to have a better day. We are not just the teacher during the day we are the nurse, janitor, mother, father, therapist, shoe tier, and many more all these hats are done throughout the day. This is all while you are also teaching a lesson and making sure that 21 students are learning, safe, and attentive. There is no other job like this. There is also no other job as rewarding as being a teacher and watching you kindergarten class leave your room and then 12 years down the road watch the same children graduate and moving onto to college. I will leave you with a Chinese proverb â€Å"Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself. † This is what education is all about. Bibliography Gurian, M. (1996). The Wonders of Boys. New York New York: Penguin. Graesser, A. 2009). Journal of Educational Psychology. Journal of Educational Psychology . NYSUT. (2010, June 14). Retrieved 2010, from New York State NYSUT: http://nysut. org/ais/index. html Richard Ogusthorpe. (2009). On the Possible Forms a Relationship Might Take between the Moral Character of a Teacher and the Moral Development of a Student. Teachers College Record, 111(1), 1-26. Retrieved February 24, 2009, from Research Library database. Webb, L. D. , Metha, A. Jordan K. F. (2010). Foundations of American Education (6th ed. ). Saddle River, NJ:   Pearson Education Inc How to cite Becoming a Guidance Counselor, Papers

Change in the Method of Accounting Analysis of Case of Cocoa Ltd

Question: Discuss about theChange in the Method of Accountingfor Analysis of Case of Cocoa Ltd. Answer: Introduction The accounting profession plays a crucial role in economic and social development of a country. Therefore, it is customary that the professionals in the field of accounting are abided by the rules and regulations so that compliance with the aspect of ethics and governance in financial reporting is ensured. It has been seen that big companies like Enron, Worldcom, and Tyco failed in surviving after committing frauds in financial reporting (Accounting Degree, 2016). In this context, a discussion on ethics and governance in the field of accounting has been carried out through analysis of Cocoa Ltd case. Principle of Ethics and Governance in Accounting The code of conduct is issued by every country that requires compliance with the principles of integrity and honesty by the professionals in the field of accounting. Further, at the international level, the code of conduct is issued by Internal Federation of Accountants (IFAC) (IFAC, 2006). As per the principles laid down in the code of conduct issued by IFAC, the professional accountants should ensure compliance with the principles of integrity, competence, and prudence, and principle of confidentiality. While discharging their duties, the professional accountants should ensure that they work in the best interest of the stakeholders (IFAC, 2006). However, it is crucial to note that the adequate implementation and adherence to the principles of code of ethics depends upon adequacy of the system of corporate governance in the company (Calder, 2008). The system of corporate governance encompasses rules and procedures framed by the management of the company. These rules and procedures are directed to control the business affairs and manage them in the interest of the stakeholders. Thus, the primary objective of corporate governance is to carry out the business activities in the best interest of different groups of stakeholders such as shareholders, suppliers, lenders, and government (Calder, 2008). The code of ethics requires that the accountant should be free of any inducement and perform their duties ethically. The breach of principles of code of ethics is punishable with high monetary charges and imprisonment, thus, the accountant should avoid indulging in conflicting situations (IFAC, 2006). Analysis of the Case In the current case, the management of Cocoa Ltd seeks to manipulate the financial statements to achieve anterior motives. The company is earning high profits and it is expected that current growth rate will continue for couple of more years. However, it is also expected that after the upcoming two years, the financial performance of the company will turn down. Considering these facts, the management of the company asks the accountant to reduce profits of the current years so that bad financial performance in the future years does not appear as complete collapse to the stakeholders. For the purpose of manipulating the financial statements, the accountant has identified depreciation as the item for adjustment and manipulation. In the current case, the accountant proposes to change the method of depreciation from straight line method depreciation to sum of years digit method without a suitable cause. Finding and Discussion As per the provisions contained in AASB 116, Property, Plant, and Equipment, the depreciation method selected by the management should result in a charge of depreciation which accurately reflects the future economic benefits (AASB, 2016). This implies that whichever method is selected for computation of depreciation, it should provide a charge that complies with the matching concept of accounting. The AASB further provides that change in the method of depreciation is permissible in the later years. However, it should be endeavored that consistency is maintained unless circumstances justify a change in deprecation method (AASB, 2016). There various methods that can be adopted to charge depreciation among the top used are Straight Line Method, Declining Balance Method, and Sum of Years Digit method (Weil, Schipper, Francis, 2013). The choice of method depends upon the managements judgment as to the appropriateness of a particular method in the given circumstances. The straight line method provides same charge for all the years throughout the useful life of the asset. However, in case of declining balance method, the charge of depreciation gets reduced as the years pass. In the later years, the charge of depreciation is reduced significantly due to its been charged on the written down value of the previous year. On the same lines, the Sum of Years Digit Method also provides for lesser charge in the later years (Weil, Schipper, Francis, 2013). The depreciation is one of the crucial most items which have great bearing on the financial performance of the company. Therefore, the change in the method of depreciation could have really a huge impact on the reportable profits of a company. The AASB 116 prescribes that the management of the company should have periodical review of the method of accounting to ensure that it remains relevant (AASB, 2016). Further, it is prescribed that when the management comes across significant changes that provide a hint that the pattern of future economic benefits to be earned from the use of asset has changed, the management should change the method of accounting. In essence, it could be articulated that there must be proper justification for the change in the method of depreciation (AASB, 2016). In the current case of Cocoa Ltd, it has been observed that the management is following straight line method of depreciation and considering now switching to Sum of Years Digit Method. The change in the method of depreciation would increase the depreciation in the initial years resulting in lowering the profitability. Whereas, the depreciation charge in the later years would be decreased resulting in enhancement in the profitability. There is no proper justification for the change in the method of accounting apart from achieving the anterior motives (AASB, 2016). The management just wants to do window dressing on the financial statements so as to keep the investors with the company. Changing the method of accounting in the absence of proper reason would be violating the provisions of the accounting framework. The AASB 116 requires proper discloser in regard to the change in the method of accounting by way of a note to the financial statements. Non-compliance with these provisions of the accounting standard clearly shows that the accountant is departing from her duties (AASB, 2016). Further, it was observed that the accountant of Cocoa Ltd agreed to carry out changes in the method of accounting on the request of management because she was concerned about renewal of her contract with the company. Thus, the accountant went into conflict of interest situation. In this situation, the accountant should not have agreed to carry the managements wishes. Changing the method of accounting just to manipulate the presentation of the financial statements is violating of the provisions of AASB 116 (AASB, 2016). Further, it also shows that the governance mechanism in the company is also quite weak. There must be adequate reporting and authorization system in the company so that unethical conducts are identified and rectified at the early stages (Lessambo, 2016). Carrying out business affairs in an unethical manner would affect all the stakeholders adversely. The investors will lose faith in the company on revelations of the breach of code of ethics and corporate governance principles. Conclusion From the discussion carried out in this paper, it may be concluded that the compliance with the code of ethics and rules and procedures of corporate governance is crucial to achieve the objectives and long term goals. The change in the method of depreciation as requested by the management of Cocoa Ltd is completely unjustified and violating the principles of AASB 116. Therefore, the accountant should not agree to change the method of accounting without a proper justification. References AASB 116. 2016. Property, Plant, and Equipment. Retrieved December 19, 2016, from https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB116_07-04_COMPjun14_07-14.pdf Accounting Degree. 2016. The ten worst corporate accounting scandals of all times. Retrieved December 19, 2016, from https://www.accounting-degree.org/scandals/ Calder, A. 2008. Corporate Governance: A Practical Guide to the Legal Frameworks and International Codes of Practice. Kogan Page Publishers. IFAC. 2006. Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants. Retrieved December 19, 2016, from https://www.ifac.org/system/files/publications/files/ifac-code-of-ethics-for.pdf Lessambo, F. 2016. The International Corporate Governance System: Audit Roles and Board Oversight. Springer. Weil, R.L., Schipper, K., Francis, J. 2013. Financial Accounting: An Introduction to Concepts, Methods and Uses. Cengage Learning.

To Paint a Water Lily free essay sample

In the poem To Paint a Water Lily, there is surprisingly little written about the lily itself. The poet focuses more on the surroundings of the lily. He may be telling the artist how to paint a lily, but he believes that the key to mastering the painting lies within realizing the lilys true beauty and understanding the world it lives In. The true beauty of the water lily is that despite the chaos surrounding It, It rests unmoved and still as a painting on the ponds surface. The speaker believes that the artist gust realize this before he can adequately paint the lily. The artist must take In the environment, the good and the bad, before understanding how truly magnificent the still water Lily Is. The water Lily roofs the ponds chamber and paves the flies furious arena. Yet theres the lily, stuck between two worlds. We will write a custom essay sample on To Paint a Water Lily or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The writer uses Dalton to depict the Lilys surroundings as dangerous. The dragonfly bullets by and there are other creatures with Jaws for heads that crawl In the darkness.The author Is definitely setting a tone using this imagery. Only once the Luvs surroundings are taken In can the true beauty of the lily be revealed to the artist. Even amongst all of the creatures and madness, there sits the water lily, trembling hardly at all. The poet knows that theres both an ugly and a beautiful side to nature and he wants this to be known to the artist. Once the artist realizes all of this he can finally begin to paint. Now paint the long-necked lily-flower.

Multiculturalism in the USA

Multiculturalism in the USA Multiculturalism in the USA is one of the main issues for the country as being inhabited by people from different ethnical groups it faces a number of difficulties. One of the main problem the USA faces is cultural assimilation. The USA seems not to have personal culture as the number of immigrants who have come to the country has affected the cultural destinations of the Native Americans and now it seems that the whole culture of the USA is a combination of different cultures which exist in the society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Multiculturalism in the USA specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are many immigrants who have come to the USA and who have almost become native inhabitants of the country. Still, there are Americans who are considered as Native ones, and there are other ethnical groups who inhabit the country, Hispanic Americans, Mexican Americans, African American, Asian Americans and several groups which appeared recently as one more ethnical group in the USA. Hispanic Americans group is the most varied one as it comprises a number of ethnic groups. Speaking about Hispanic Americans, it should be stated that this ethnic groups stands between Euro-Americans and African Americans, however, the social status of them is not too high than African Americans’ one. Being socially and economically unprotected in the USA, Hispanic Americans do not strive for better lives. Having escaped for a number of countries, from hunger and violence, many Hispanic Americans lead poor lives in the USA, however, they are sure that such life is much better than the life in their countries. Hispanic American population is divided into the groups, Mexican Americans (67%), Puerto Rican Americans (9%), Cuban Americans (4%), Dominican Americans (2%), Central American Hispanics (7%), South American Hispanics (5%) and other Hispanic groups in the USA (8%). Depending on the specific belonging, Hispani c Americans live in different regions of the USA. Of course, it is possible to meet Mexican Americans all over the USA, however, their greatest concentration is in Los Angeles. Considering the reasons why these people came to the USA, the first and the greatest wave of legal and illegal immigration of Hispanic Americans was because of the war regime in the countries of their origin. Various revolutions and civil wars made people run away from their countries. Search for better education and job were other reasons for coming to a strange country. However, the life of Hispanic Americans in the USA is not that easy as it may seem. Even though the USA successfully fights with the remnants of discrimination, there are many prejudices in relation to Hispanic population. Unfortunately, those Hispanic Americans who have darker skin experience more ethnic discrimination than those whose skin in whiter. Poor Hispanic Americans are unable to achieve high success due to their social status. As for me, all people are born equal and no one can treat them in accordance to their origin. However, I can understand Americans who live in the country and who consider it their homes that the more immigrants come of the USA and become its citizens, the less cultural peculiarities America has.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Looking at the USA it is impossible to state which nation predominates as according to its history and the waves of immigration, many foreigners have come to the place and they consider the country their native home. Thus, the cultures have mixed that created additional reasons to worry for Native Americans who begin to lose their country.

Breaking Down the Brutality in Sports

Breaking Down the Brutality in Sports In attempting to understand and argue whether violence in modern sport has continued to augment over time, it is firstly necessary to grapple with what is understood by the term violence. Olweus (1999) rather narrowly, suggests that violence is the ‘use of physical force’. [1] He defines violence/violent behaviour as ‘aggressive behaviour where the actor or perpetrator uses his or her own body as an object (including a weapon) to inflict (relatively serious) injury or discomfort upon an individual’ (1999:7). However, as the study of violence has continued to expand, so too has its characterisation. The World Report on Violence and Health (WRVH, 2002) states, that violence is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development, or deprivation. More specifically, v iolence in sports has been defined as ‘behavior which causes harm, occurs outside of the rules of the sport, and is unrelated to the competitive objectives of the sport’ (Terry Jackson, 1985:2). However, despite the fact that it is no easy task to formulate a specific concrete all encompassing understanding of violence what is clear is that there has been a continuous surge in both frequency and seriousness of acts of violence in sports in the modern era (Leonard, 1988). However, it is still problematic to give a definitive answer to such a complex question as, for example, the Australian Government have stated that hard data on the extent of sporting violence is not available, but that the sporting associations have indicated that there has not been an increase in violence over recent years (Wenn, 1989).The difficulty lies in assessing whether or not this level of violence has always been present in sport but appears, because of different influential factors, to be a recent phenomenon that is continuing to increase in today’s world. This essay will look at both player/on pitch violence and spectator violence. During the period before the fall of the Roman Empire, violence in sport was in essence, a fundamental principle in society that far from undermining or offending social norms was actually endorsed and embraced by both athletes and spectators and became very much part of ordinary working society. The famous Historian Josephus described how Titus dealt with his captives from the Jewish Rebellion. The number of those destroyed in contests with wild beasts or with one another or in the flames exceeded 2,500(Grant,1999: 28). This approach was not greeted by shock by the Romans. In fact, violence was so much an integrated part of society and sport that the gladiators upon signing on swore; I undertake to be burnt by fire, to be bound in chains, to be beaten, to die by the sword (Grant, 1999: 45).[2]Furthermore, historically, violence was not only found in sports, but it served as a sport in itself, such as was the case in Ireland in the 19th Century (Conley, 1999). From a Sociological per spective, this approach to sport is indicative of an attitude to life, death, and the sufferings of others which is very different from that which dominates in the contemporary West (Dunning, 2002: 47), as a large part of the West is liberal and democratic and acknowledges the importance of Human Rights and the essential right to life. If arguing that violence in sport today continues to be unambiguously prevalent it is useful to look to the law for empirical evidence. There are numerous professional sports leagues and other governing bodies which police violent activity and provide, what is deemed to be, appropriate punishment. There are a few important cases that indicate the stance taken by the law as it stands vis-à  -vis violent action in sports; in the 1969 case[3]for example, the court held that in this instance it was a case of self-defense. However, more importantly, they acknowledged that there was no difference between sports contests and real-world violence and thus as later highlighted by the McSorley (2000) case, violence in sport is considered a criminal assault if one unjustifiably and intentionally uses force upon another with intent to cause injury. The crime usually involves a threat of harm, coupled with improper contact with the other person. This has enormous consequences in that it indicates that any action deemed to be violent and unnecessary can result in a criminal conviction as it is deemed to be an assault and therefore illegal. However, the question remains; does the introduction and expansion of law on violence in sport mean that violence today is less common or is the law, now, a very necessary tool that must be wielded because the level of violence continues to mount? Research has suggested that the causes of sport violence are provocation by the other team or competition, encouragement by coaches (Reilly, 1995; OBrien and Wolff, 1996), peer pressure, wanting to win, because it is an implicit part of the game (Scher, 1993; Weinstein, et al., 1995; Pilz, 1996), revenge and retaliation, and as the result of role models (Pooley and Golding, 1987). If these findings are accurate this suggests that violence has a high probability of taking place in sport when its use constitutes the difference between winning and losing, as well as when there is weak officiating, sanctions are not severe, so there is no real fear of detrimental penalization, coaches are not willing or able to control their players, or even encourage them to break laws (Clark, 1981). This highlights a big difficulty in that, despite the increase in law and regulatory bodies, violence continues to be a very real problem in sport. Furthermore, a problem lies in the fact that evaluating wh en these causes arise can be virtually impossible: there is no specific way of knowing how coaches react in a dressing room or how players feel before a match. In addition, it has been argued that among males, some are influenced by the macho image in society (Messner, 1992; Messner and Sabo, 1992; Coakley, 1998) and in attempting to be seen as strong and fit and fearless have a tendency to engage in high levels of violence to illustrate their masculinity. A further difficulty in assessing whether violence in sport has actually increased in today’s world is the fact that it is generally acknowledged that â€Å"brutal body contact† is seen as integral to some sports (Smith, 1983).[4] This ‘contact’ essentially conforms to the rules of the sport as already specified, by the relevant regulatory body and is completely legitimate even when the same sort of behaviour outside the sports context is defined as criminal, like for example assault. Athletes, because they have consensually taken part have implicitly accepted the inevitability of rough contact and the likelihood that they will receive a few knocks during the ‘rough and tumble’. They have thus implicitly agreed to the probability of minor injury and even the possibility of serious injury. A good example is that of Stuart Mangan[5]. When the question of whether violence is sport is increasing is posed in light of such a sad case, prima facie, it becomes easier to answer it in the affirmative and not only that, it also becomes possible to argue today that such a standard of violence is actually acceptable to the spectators and not repugnant to the norms of a modern democracy. However, it must be noted that athletes cannot, reasonably be said to have agreed to injuries sustained from physical assaults that violate the written and unwritten rules of the sport. This means that any act of violence cannot ever violate the terms of the specific sport in question which essentially means that today sport and violence has clear parameters that must be adhered to. Another interesting feature that needs examination in order to answer the question comprehensively is this notion of â€Å"Borderline violence† (Smith, 1986) which consists of behaviors that violate the official rules of the sport but remain acceptable to players and fans alike as a ‘legitimate part’ of the game. Such activity —a fight or headbuttin ice hockey or an intentional foul in association football’s penalty zone—is rarely if ever subject to a court hearing and there is increasingly a tendency to be deal with these types of issues by penalties imposed by referees, umpires, or league administrators. A solid example of this occurred in 1997 when the Nevada Commission censured and banned boxer Mike Tyson for biting his opponent(NY Times, 1997). More-extreme rule infractions—those that upset both the formal rules of the sport and also the law of the land—elicit , normally, a harsher formal response, especially when the violen ce results in serious injury. If it is accepted that sport, by its very essence inevitable incorporates a certain level of violence and disharmony it once again becomes more difficult to truly estimate whether violence has become and continues to become more prominent in sport or whether the very existence of sport has meant and continues to mean that violence has always been a part of it. In sport is often equated with pure violence (Atkinson Young, 2008). Elias (1993) suggests that sports grow out of regulated societies where violence in general is reduced (liberal democracies for example) to a minimum because disagreements are resolved politically in the normal way. Sports thus function, in these societies, as a relief-institution, a mimetic battle that allows people to achieve fulfillment and catharsis without acts of violence . . . the infliction of physical injuries or of death upon other human beings. Essentially that sport is an outlet by which to vent anger and frustration. However, since sports are close to violence, it is also in the context of sporting events that violence tends to manifest itself first when society (because of unemployment, poverty, discrimination, etc.) begins to break down. Hooliganism is just one example Elias gives of this phenomenon. This essay will now focus on the aforementioned second type of violence. Sometimes fans do more than complain. Violence by supporters of sports teams dates back to Roman times, when supporters of chariot racing teams were frequently involved in major riots. A notable example of this is the Nika riots of 532 (Weir, 1996). However, it is clear that in the 1960s and 1970s, there was an increase of a dramatic nature in violence committed by sports spectators (Dunning, 1993).[6] Despite the copious amounts of empirical evidence it is not easy to find a simple answer to such a complex and multifaceted question, not least because there is a real failure to distinguish effects across different types of sport (Baumert, Henderson Thompson, 1998; Begg et al, 1996; Jackson et al, 2002; Nixon 1997; Wright and Fitzpatrick, 2006). If one looks to the law and the multifarious number of organisations that exist today to oversee and monitor sport it would be a fair to assume that violence has decreased and will continue to do so in sport. However, if one argues that sport naturally incorporates violence, especially contact sports and that these sports are not banned but in fact avidly supported, encouraged and loved by the athletes themselves and the loyal fans and is a vital outlet to vent anger than it would be a fair assessment to say that violence is on the up. However, this is not such a simplistic topic. No one point can be looked at in isolation. This essay ultima tely argues that, whether or not violence in sport is on the up, currently it has become virtually impossible to answer this question accurately not least because of the very prominent and influential role of the media. The question really becomes whether the heightened public attention and media focus on sports violence reflects not so much an augmentation in the incidence or severity of aggression, but rather greater public concern with moral issues and political discourse?

Compare and Contrast Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 7

Compare and Contrast Research Methods - Essay Example Through observation, the researcher is able to identify particular aspects of the research (Poynter, 2010). Also, through observation, researchers learn more information about research aspects, thus being able to determine attitudes and behaviors. Both observation and in-depth interview methods are important because they will increase the objectivity of the study (Poynter, 2010). Informal and in-depth methods are largely qualitative. Researchers use in-depth interviews in collecting data, because it is a highly interactive, multivariate and objective method of conducting study, which makes it different from observation method (Wilson, 2010). Using interview, the interviewer seeks more explanation from the interviewees as opposed to observation, where the researcher simply looks at the objects of study (Wilson, 2010). Under this methodology of in-depth interview, the participants will be drawn from four departments within the research population (Wilson, 2010). Since there will be many prospective participants from each department, out of the available participants, the researcher will select a given sample for the study. This is similar to observation because in the latter, the researcher can chose from the available research items to carry out the study (Wilson, 2010). In addition, the selection of participants in informal and in-depth interview is done usi ng random sampling, which is representative and non-discriminative, a situation which makes the methods resemble observation. Under informal and in-depth interviews, the different categories under which the participants will be divided would be based on the management levels, where as in observation, the researcher carries the study alone (Wilson, 2010). Interviews will also increase the participation between the researcher and respondents. Indeed, using interview will increase the interaction and the researcher would get more relevant information about the topic, a situation that

Operations Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Operations Decision - Essay Example 2. Environmental factors The domestic market for robotics spreads across five major and distinct industries. The automotive industry is the largest consumer of robotics products mainly used in painting and welding operations. The other industries include foundry and heavy manufacturing, aerospace and defense, electronic assembly and consumer products among others. While the automotive industry has shown the most impressive growth in robotics applications to date, it is the electronics assembly market that will be the growth sector of the future (Vassilis, 2008). This is the market which Gen has focused on. Gen has determined that purchasing decisions are currently based in descending order on the following factors: Product reliability Ease of operation Performance specifications Price I am convinced that the noted purchase factors will ultimately determine which suppliers enjoy the most success within the market. 3. We currently use 100 workers to produce 6,000 units of output per mo nth (working 20 days / month). The daily wage (per worker) is $70, and the price of the firm's output is $32. While Gen management feels that pricing will be the least important variable in a purchase decision, the company will price its products at the middle of the market — approximately $40,000 per unit. Potential mid-range price hesitancy on the part of customers will be met head on with specification sheets comparing Gen product performance with competitors and on-site product demonstrations. Gen’s innovative designs result in greater flexibility with potentially lower manufacturing costs than competitors’ products. This will allow the company to regain standard margins above the industry average in spite of our cost exceeding the total revenue (Maria, 2000). I will avail multiple unit order discounts of up to 13% to quantity buyers (units purchased within a sixty-day period will qualify for quantity discounts reduced by 25%). It will be company policy to r equire a 15% cash deposit on all orders, with the balance due within 45 days of installation. With this in mind, even though the cost of other variable inputs is $2,000 per day, as the new managing consultant, this proposal if and when fully implemented, will be able to deal with the firm's fixed cost is which currently is â€Å"high enough† so that the firm's total costs does not exceed its total revenue. The failure which brought the marginal cost of the last unit to be $30 will be a thing of the past (Nick, 2005). 4. Sales Plan Gen will use only in-house sales personnel with impeccable credentials and extensive product training. The needs of the customer will be the main emphasis on a continuous basis. During the first twelve months, I will focus on establishing contacts with target customers. All sales in the first year will be made by home office based personnel. Sales personnel will be compensated with a relatively standard base salary and a â€Å"bonus† payable quarterly based on collected payments on sales made in the preceding three months. Bonus schedules will begin at 2% of ex-factory sales price (excluding freight) and will step to a maximum of 7% with no upward dollar limit. Sales personnel

Hepatitis B epidemiology and prevention strategies Essay Example for Free

Hepatitis B epidemiology and prevention strategies Essay Hepatitis B is a serious viral infection which is characterized by hepatic cell inflammation and disturbed liver functioning and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. It is a disease known to mankind since antiquity, given that cases of epidemic jaundice are reported in ancient Chinese documents as well as in Hippocrates’ writings in the 5th century B. C. Similar epidemics have been described during the Medieval and the Renaissance years, however, the first recorded cases of hepatitis B are probably dated in 1883 in German shipyard workers following the administration of small pox vaccine. In 1965, Blumberg identified a specific antigen in the serum of an Australian Aborigine, named â€Å"Australia antigen†, which was later linked to hepatitis B. Its detection allowed the accurate diagnosis of HBV infection, expanded scientific knowledge on the field and led to effective prevention and treatment strategies (Mahmoud Al-Hussami, 2004). According to World Health Organization, hepatitis B affects almost 2 billion people worldwide, which represents one third of global population. 75% of the world population live in areas of high endemicity, thus being exposed to high infection risk. (Previsani et al, 2002). In its chronic form, the infection affects almost 350 million individuals and may lead to several major complications including liver cirrhosis and failure and hepatocellular carcinoma, thus having an adverse effect on patients’ survival and quality of life (Lok, 2002; Rantala, 2008). Recent epidemiological and clinical data reveal that up to 80% of primary liver tumors worldwide can be attributed to chronic HBV infection (Lavanchy et al, 2004). It is estimated that hepatitis B is responsible for one million deaths annually, half of which are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, economotechnical studies worldwide reveal that chronic hepatic B patients require long and frequent hospitalizations thus posing a significant financial burden on national health care systems (Pantazis et al, 2008). There is great variation in hepatitis B prevalence rates worldwide. The disease is more prevalent in developing countries, including tropical Africa, Southeast Asia and China, where 10-15% of the general population are HBsAg carriers (Previsani et al, 2002). In contrast, developed countries with higher standards of living and better organized public health systems, are considered areas of low endemicity for the disease. In Western and Central Europe, North America and Australia, seroprevalence rates range from 0.  2 to 1. 5% of the general population. In these areas, young adults are mostly affected, with males having 1. 8 greater risk to be infected compared to females. It is estimated that 200,000-300,000 individuals in the United States become infected with HBV annually, and almost one million people are chronically infected. Despite, HBV infection’s low prevalence, there are certain sub-populations in the Western world that run extremely high risk compared to the general population. These high-risk groups include infants born to infected mothers, healthcare workers, intravenous drug users, individuals living with HBV patients, sexually active heterosexuals with multiple partners, homosexual males, haemodialysis patients and patients frequently receiving blood transfusions (Previsani et al, 2002). The existence of a sub-population of vulnerable individuals, underlines the fact that hepatitis B remains a small yet appreciable public health risk and emphasizes the need for proper interventions. WHO suggests specific measures aiming at HBV infection surveillance and disease control. Although in most countries reporting HBV infection is mandatory, a significant percentage of cases go under-reported and surveillance systems need to be upgraded. In addition, effective disease control should encompass broadening of immunization, effective screening of blood and blood products to avoid transmission through transfusion and educating healthcare workers and high-risk individuals (Previsani et al, 2002). After the introduction of HBV vaccine in 1981, the systematic implementation of national vaccination programs in developed countries has led to a significant decrease in seroprevalence. By the end of the year 2007, 171 countries had instituted the systematic vaccination of infants [5]. HBV vaccine represents a safe and highly effective method of immunization which protects against hepatitis B and its long-term complications in 95% of cases (Previsani et al, 2008). Initially, HBV vaccine was a plasma derived product, however due to concerns regarding the possibility of viral transmission, it was substituted by the recombinant form. The current trend in hepatitis B vaccination supported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is to target not solely high risk individuals but also all newborns, children and adolescents up to 18 years of age, given that in a significant proportion (30%) of acute HBV infections no risk factor can be traced. However, despite the vaccine’s established efficacy, vaccination programs’ success is currently limited by the existence of a sizeable percentage of individuals who refuse to be vaccinated. Several studies worldwide have revealed that vaccination rates among healthcare workers hardly reach 50% (CDC, 1991). Likewise, in earlier and recent studies, parents reported significant doubts about global infant immunization (Woodruff et al, 1996; Hontelez et al, 2010). A recent German study reported vaccination rates of 29% for the general population and 58% for high risk groups, revealing a significant gap in vaccination coverage (Schenkel et al, 2008). Parameters which have consistently been shown to relate to vaccination acceptance include higher educational level, younger age and better information about the disease (Mahmoud Al-Hussami, 2004; Panhotra et al, 2005). Additional reasons for low vaccination compliance may be associated with vaccine availability and cost. Despite their growth and prosperity and the development of welfare state, western societies still have to cope with the fact that a sizeable proportion of the population lacks access to basic healthcare, due to financial and social reasons. These findings underscore the importance of informing and educating the public opinion about hepatitis B and widening the availability of HBV vaccine. In order to implement an effective vaccination campaign, people should be responsibly informed regarding risk factors, ways of transmission and prevention measures. In this way, not only vaccination acceptance will rise, but, in addition, individuals will be encouraged to adopt a healthier lifestyle, including embracing basic hygiene habits, condom use and other safe sex practices in everyday life. Previous research has shown that using the internet and the mass media to provide disease-related information may have a positive impact on disease prevention (Kang et al, 2010). In addition, school-based programs have proven adequately efficacious in modifying negative parental attitudes towards immunization thus increasing vaccination rates. (Ogilvie et al, 2010). Insurance providers are strongly encouraged to undertake similar educational initiatives targeting the whole population to minimize disease’s medical, psychosocial and financial impact. Lowering vaccine cost and rendering it accessible to the whole population requires additional funding and strong policy makers, determined to defend public safety and well-being against economic gain and pharmaceutical companies’ agendas. In the USA, the price of vaccination per dose ranges from 15 to 41 U. S. dollars, depending on the context where it takes place, and emerges as a major barrier to immunization. However, even in countries of low endemicity, such as the USA, universal immunization programs appear cost-effective, given the significant burden imposed by the disease and its long-term complications in terms of financial and human resources (Previsani et al, 2002). When coping with public health issues, preventive approaches represent more efficacious and cost-effective strategies compared to treatment plans, and in this respect, insurance providers may economize in the long run by covering vaccination’s cost. Another important measure for disease control is the implementation of systematic screening of blood and blood products. Modern screening practices based on recent advances in immunochemistry and molecular biology have significantly decreased HBV transmission through blood transfusion, however, there remains a small percentage of cases where HBV can not be detected. These cases represent a significant risk for multi-transfused patients, a risk which can be eliminated through educating and encouraging blood donors to keep a responsible and sensitive stance. Avoiding donating blood when engaging in high risk behaviors is probably the more simple and effective way of reducing the risk of HBV infection through blood transfusion. In conclusion, hepatitis B represents a major public health condition worldwide, associated with severe complications, poor quality of life and increased mortality rates. National and international organizations have addressed the issue, raising public and individual awareness and encouraging wide-scale immunization programs. However, significant obstacles have been detected in the implementation of disease prevention strategies, including difficulties in repudiating high-risk behaviors and adopting a healthier way of living, and limited availability and acceptance of the vaccine. In this respect, policy makers can maximize the efficacy of HBV prevention, by providing accurate and valid information to the public and increasing people’s access to vaccination.

Comparing Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wil

Comparing Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson have similar themes of conflicts between fathers and sons, conflicts between husbands and wives, and the need to focus on a small unit of space in order to achieve success. In the process of developing these themes throughout the two plays, three similar symbolic elements are used including the insecure father figure, the "other woman," and the garden. The fathers in the two plays are comparable because they both have conflicts with their sons as a result of living in the past, and they die in the end. Willy, in Death of a Salesman, is never respected for his occupational status, so he places very high expectations on his son, Biff. Willy lives in the memory of past events to such a large extent that he cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, and he passes this trait onto Biff. Biff says, "How the hell did I ever get the idea I was a salesman there? I even believed myself that I'd been a salesman for him!...We've been talking in a dream for fifteen years. I was a shipping clerk" (1760). Willy's high demands of Biff cause Biff to experience the same difficulties of living in the present and the desire to live in a fantasy world. This conflict is only resolved in Biff's mind when he releases himself from his father's dominance and establishes his own identity. At his father's funeral, Biff has compassion for his father and remembers that "there were a lot of nice days;" his father did have good intentions but "had the wrong dreams" (1778). He realizes the futility of trying to live up to his father's unrealistic expectations, and Cory has the same realization in Fences. ... ...oy learns very late in life when he tries to build a fence around all that he holds valuable. He begins to build the fence only after confessing the truth to Rose; by then it is too late to protect his valuables because he has already lost his most precious one, his relationship with his wife. The similar symbols of the father figure, the "other woman," and the garden, in Death of a Salesman and Fences, are used to develop the similar themes of father-son conflicts, marital conflicts, and the need to leave one's mark of success on the world. The main difference is that while Willy plants seeds by himself to see them grow, Troy's garden is planted by Raynell, his "seed." By bringing Raynell into the world, Troy plants a seed that will grow to live out his dreams; the tragedy is that both Willy and Troy die before having a chance to see their seeds grow.

Lucky Jim Analysis

The conversation between Dixon and Bertrand is direct and to the point with the use of emotive and, at times, offensive language. For instance, Bertrand uses phrases like your so called mind' and you dirty little bar- fly, you nasty little Jumped up turf'. In between the speech Amiss is a great observer of human movement and highlights the tension between the two men with the language he uses and the use of short sentences, for example ‘Axon moved a pace nearer' and ‘he clenched his fists' and the Impact had hurt them rather'.Malls describes Bertrand breath as Whistling through his nose' which accurately depicts he image of someone beginning to get irate. Throughout the passage, out of the two men, Dixon is depicted as more in control and powerful than Bertrand even though being the lesser build of the two men. Bertrand says to Dixon you're simply not up to my weight. If you want a fight pick someone your own size, then you might stand a chance. ‘ Dixon, by his resp onse, is clearly not threatened by this at all.It could be seen as an empty threat because Bertrand does not expect Dixon to retaliate, but rather simply Just to back down considering their positions. Undeterred by the physical threats, Dixon moves ‘a pace rarer' and unleashes an articulate and fast moving annihilation of Bertrand character; you're a twister and a snob and a bully and a fool'. Bertrand Is shown to be clearly stunned by this as he makes ‘no attempt to interrupt'. Dioxins confidence is clearly rallied by the fact that he is armed with the information that Bertrand has been having an affair with Carol Goldsmith.Bertrand physical strength over Dixon is again highlighted by when it says that ‘he came and stood over Dixon'. Amiss adds slight humor to the passage as Dixon attempts to further wind up Bertrand and SSH him over the edge by saying What are we going to do, dance? , still staying fairly calm himself. Bertrand however triggers the fight that he so desires by calling Dixon ‘Sam'. Even then, Dixon Is shown to be more in control as ‘he took off his glasses and put them In his top Jacket pocket'.Malls again uses humor In his depletion of this rather ungainly scene as the two men ‘faced each other on the floral rug'. Malls' description of the rug as floral creates a contrast with the aggression of the scene and introduces the idea to the reader described as ‘elbows crooked in uncertain attitudes, as if about to begin some ritual f which neither had learnt the cues'. The way the passage is written emphasizes that both men are out of place as one would expect a vocal argument between an artist and a history teacher as opposed to a physical fight.The explosion of the china figurine as it hits the hearth 'emphasizing the silence which fell' highlights the awkwardness of the scene. In contrast to Dixon controlled manner Bertram is made to look clumsy and a character of ridicule in the way he is shown to †˜Jab' at Dixon face, loses his balance and is hit hard by Dixon on the larger and more convoluted of his ears'. The reader is to encouraged by the use of this description to feel any sympathy for Bertrand.His language is not eloquent in the same way that Dixon is, but relies more on taunts and school boy retorts like you've got it coming' and ‘I'll show you'. This threatening and childlike language is very different from Dixon more controlled responses like ‘I'm not the sort to do that' when Bertrand threatens him if he tells Christine about his indiscretions with Carol. Amiss uses repetition at the end of the passage when Dixon thinks about Bertrand as a ‘bloody old dowser-faced boot-faced totem poll' and then repeats this insult out odd.The use of repetition is not only humorous but it emphasizes the point and leaves the reader in no doubt with regard to who the winner of this fight is, both on a physical and intellectual level. It is also quite a breakthrough f or Dixon, almost more so than when he actually punches Bertrand, as it is the first point in the play when he actually says what he is thinking. The knocking on the door is even described as ‘discreetly applauding this terminology. Dixon is again shown to be a character of strength and control by the way he says ‘Come in' with ‘reflex promptness' and appears to be unpleased by the fight.

An analysis of chapter five’s significance to the novel as a whole including some of the novel’s broader issues & concerns

This novel is about a boy called Alem. The book concentrates on the issues of immigration and those closely affected by it, the main character in the book is a young boy called Alem who has fled his country of origin Ethiopia because of growing tensions between Ethiopia and its neighbouring country Eritrea. Alem's mother is from Eritrea and his father is from Ethiopia and those two countries are in war that's why his family are not accepted in both countries because of Alem's mixed heritage and his families mixed marriage, they are firstly driven from their home in Ethiopia by the local police and then they face prejudice in Eritrea. His dad felt it's insecure for Alem to stay in Eritrea while the war going on between those two countries. Alem's father took him on a holiday to England but Alem is unaware of his father's plan, which is to leave Alem in England until this was is over. In their arrival in England they stay in a hotel after few days of sight seeing Alem's father leaves Alem in the hotel and go back to Eritrea. Before chapter five Alem meets Pamela and Mariam who works in the refugee council. They helped Alem to apply for asylum seekers to stay in England. Until the home office processing the asylum application, they found a children home for Alem to stay. Chapter five is one of the significant chapter in the whole novel because its shows the development of novel it builds up the tension so the readers can get excited to find out what is going to be the next step of the novel. In this chapter most of the characters are introduced. Chapter 5 begins with Alem arriving at the children's home and a description of what the place looks like and how it makes Alem feel. He is firstly introduced to a worker at the children's home named Sarah Cohen who shows him around the place informs him of the rules and regulation of the place. During the exploration of the home Alem meets another worker named Tom Whittaker and a man named Dave he notices a boy sitting by himself and is informed that this boys name is Mustafa. While he is still being showed around the place he meets his soon to be enemy Sweeney for the first time in the smoker's room. Sweeny later demands Alem to get some biscuits. When Alem refused to get biscuits for Sweeney they start arguing, Tom hears the argument and Alem explains to Tom the whole situation and then Tom makes Sweeny apologise for anti social behaviour. Alem meets his room partner called Stanley Burton who is orphan and depress in his arrival Stanley tells Alem his own story of why he's at the children's home. All the characters behaviors in the children's house show how unorganized asylum systems. However there are some people who are emotionally attach in their past for e.g. Stanley Burton is mentally ill but no one in the children's house take him seriously about the effects his having on his mind. After chapter five the story largely concentrates on Alem's struggles to familiarise him to this foreign land. He goes to the refugee camp. He gets bullied, but where he also manages to make some friends. Alem had a fight with Sweeney but makes friends with Mustafa and decides to run away from the children's home. He gets lots of support from the Refugee Council, who fined a better place for him to stay. His been fostered by a family. It was difficult for him to adjust in another house with new people but he manages to stay with them. He starts going to a school and again he face racism and bullies in school. Meanwhile the trouble in Ethiopia and Eritrea is gathering rapidity. His mums died in the war and his dad comes back to England to live with his son. Alem's get really happy and excited to have one of his family members around him. The government refused to give them permission to stay in England. After couple of weeks his father also passed way in a car accident. In my opinion Benjamin Zephaniah wrote this story in order to educate people of the growing problems of the way refuges are treated in this country. He is trying to give people an understanding of the way a young refuge might look at our country and what they might think of our customs. He is also showing that underneath skin colour, culture and customs we all think and are alike. Benjamin Zephaniah intentions and objective are to demonstrate the anguish and struggles that many asylum seekers have to go through in England. The author took ideas from many writers and books, which are related to refugees to make this book unique and special to the readers. He attempt to influence the readers with a combination of layout, emotions are raised, and guilt is created to feel sorry for Alem and it shows how to be strong when people have to deal with problematic situation that they face while they are living in a children's home. Chapter 5 is very important to the story because it shows Alem and no mater where he is aggression follows him. I felt this chapter have really emotional attach to it. Many characters are introduced in this chapter because some of the characters encouraged Alem to become a stronger person and some of the characters are shown to bully him so he can show his strength to stand up for himself. In this chapter it showed the position of each character. He learns to make a judgment on other characters. This chapter is very important because it shows how the system works and it's the beginning of all the struggles for Alem for e.g. living independently, getting bullied etc. This chapter sounds different than other chapter of the novel because its sound more dramatic, helpless, angry and showing his strength. The other sound was informative, balance and controlled. He shows responsibility, development of his knowledge by dealing with problematic situation and trying to adjust in a new environment. This chapter seems so realistic. It is a simple chapter to read because it has a good solid plot and structure of the book makes it easier to understand roles of each character. It shows how the main character of the novel starts living independently. This chapter expose Alem's character by showing amazing strength to keep standing in the toughest time while he was at the children's home for e.g. one of the boy wants him to get some biscuits but Alem replied ‘I don't want any biscuits. If you want biscuits you get them yourself'. It shows that he is not scared of anyone, he is a straightforward person who wants to stay out of trouble but he is not scared to tell the truth. The main character is Alem this is because he is someone who can be trust and empathize in the whole novel. He is the only character in the whole novel. The whole novel was written to explore this character. Alem is well presented to show his strength and weaknesses. This is a unique character because he's the refugee and all the other characters are the supporting character to help Alem to get justice. Alem is the central character in the book because the author believed that the easiest way to tell the story of a refugee would be by telling it through the eyes of Alem, this would help the audience to imagine themselves in the place of a refugee. I think that chapter 5 is a real turning point in the story because it reveals more of Alem's character then other chapters so it makes it easier for the audience to formularise themselves with Alem's character. It is an excellent topic about which to write because there are rarely books about this particular topic and I believe people should be informed. The story line is thoughtful for me and it proved to be a stimulating and moving experience. The message behind this novel was to inform people how refugees used to get treated in the past. Benjamin Zephaniah understood the character this is because he did endure racism in his childhood when he arrived from Africa. He can relate this book to his own life.

Analytical Essay Sample on Peter the Great and His Effects on Russia

Analytical Essay Sample on Peter the Great and His Effects on Russia Czar Peter Romanov I also known as Peter The Great took many actions as being the absolute ruler of Russia, Peter impacted Russia positively and negatively through westernization and opening Russia to the west. Overall peter had a positive effect on Russia. Peter’s main goal as Czar of Russia was to westernize his country, He realized that Russia should be westernized to ensure its independence, which was a positive impact Peter had completed. Already fascinated by mechanical inventions, he studied government and ways of the West. He modernized the calendar, simplified numerals, and the Russian alphabet. To make sure Russia had contact with the West, Peter captured the east shores of the Baltic Sea from the Swedish and built a new capital named after himself named St. Petersburg. Peter managed to modernize Russia without borrowing money from the country, so Peter imposed heavy taxes on the citizens, because European men usually were clean shaven, he even taxed Russians wearing beards. All of the taxing that Peter imposed was a negative action he had taken. Peter’s positive actions towards the government were a good thing he did, he had three reforms of government. Local government, which towns were allowed to elect their own government officials. Provincial government, Russia was divided into 8 guberniia, each of the guberniias were lead by a Gubnator who had all of the power in his guberniia. Central government, the central government advised Peter, Peter thought that these reforms of government helped in the modernization of Russia. Another positive thing Peter did was build a church, the Peter and Paul Cathedral, not only was it a place for the people of St. Petersburg to pray, but it was also used as a fortress to protect the area from a possible attack from the Swedes. It was the first church in the city made out of stone, the church stood 404 ft. tall being the tallest building in St. Petersburg. All of the Russian emperors are buried in the church from Peter the great to Alexander III. In conclusion I think that Peter I had a positive effect on Russia, from westernization to his reforms of government, some of Peter’s ways are still used in modern Russia till this day.

Culture and Marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Culture and Marriage - Research Paper Example Traditionally, a young man in the society would approach the father of his love and suggest his intention of marrying her to him (Ferraro & Andreatta, p.76). If consented, the young man would go ahead and proposes to the girl and the wedding preparations then begin (Segal, p.89). However, according to reports there exists a dichotomy in the current public life among the American society. On one side, there are those individuals who are considered to be economically stable and are usually encouraged to get into marriage and those who are not willing to get married due to their economic statuses (Chapman, p. 94). Reports indicate that the rates of marriage within the American community have fallen by over 50% since the year 1950 due to the economic hardships the country has been experiencing. The American census bureau estimates that households with single people are on the increase from about 500,000 in the year 1970 to about 5 million in the year 2008 which represents a drastic incre ase (Ferraro & Andreatta, p.123). Households which are non-family have also soared in numbers from 7 million in the year 1980 to over 34 million by the year 2009. ... 96). They proposed that these rights should also be accorded to other individuals who may be in a relationship (Ferraro & Andreatta, p.136). These rights include alimony along with property rights for domestic partners who may be cohabiting. They include the homosexuals and heterosexuals in their society. The institute additionally claims that adultery should be eliminated as a ground for being granted divorce, dividing property, attaining child-custody or alimony (Segal, p.107). Previous reports additionally indicate that Americans first perceive human beings as being dedicated to individualism while cultivating their self images (Colombo, Cullen & Lislie, p.85). In other reports sociologists suggested that the average ages for marriage among young women was 20 while for the men was 22 years. They additionally claim that this prompted the majority of their population to get into marriage (Yang & Lu, p.113). Further research also indicates that there are other additional and differen t perceptions among the different people in the society regarding the institution of marriage. The second view is that marriage involves the cooperation of men along with women for the purpose of bearing and rearing children (Colombo, Cullen & Lislie, p.105). They regard the institution of marriage as a union that takes place for the purpose of advancing it through the formation of an economic partnership (Segal, p.119). Their government had these perceptions from the year 1948 through to the year 1989 and implemented for them for effective taxation while allowing married partners who were divorcing to split their wealth more easily (Colombo, Cullen & Lislie,

Brain eating amoeba Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Brain eating amoeba - Essay Example On rare occasions, individuals contract the brain-eating amoeba because of contaminated water in swimming pools or from taps. It has the ability to cause Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, which is a devastating and rare brain infection. The brain-eating amoeba enters the body through the nose. The amoeba then gradually moves to the brain. While in the brain, the amoeba actively destroys tissues. However, drinking water that has Naegleria cannot lead to the infection of a person. Naegleria fowleri exists everywhere in the world, as long as the environmental conditions are suitable for its existence and survival. Aside from existing in fresh warm water bodies, brain-eating amoeba exists in geothermal water, warm water that manufacturing and processing plants discharge, soil, poorly maintained swimming pools and water heaters. Both non-chlorinated and poorly chlorinated swimming pools provide suitable breeding places for Naegleria fowleri (Cajigal, 9). In addition to that, the Naegleria fowleri exist in aquariums and mud puddles. The Naegleria fowleri thrives at higher temperatures rising to 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit). This amoeba can survive for a shorter while in temperatures beyond the above mentioned. The brain-eating amoeba is absent in salt water. In the United States, the amoeba mostly affects people living in Southwestern and southern states (Animal Planet, n.p). Naegleria fowleri enters the human body through the nose during activities such as water-skiing, diving or other water sports that increase the probability of water getting into the nose (Pond, 171). Other instances recorded to have caused infections include people dipping their heads in geothermal water, commonly known as hot springs, or people cleaning their nostrils using untreated water flowing from the taps. Once the Naegleria fowleri enters the body through the nostrils, chemicals used in communication by nerve cells pull

Govenance,Reporting and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Govenance,Reporting and Ethics - Essay Example However, a company should not pay more than required for this case but the remunerations should commensurate with individual performance (Bebchuk & Roe, 1999). The committee for remuneration should also judge where to place their Company in relation to other companies. However, these comparisons should be made wisely such that remuneration levels correspond with performance improvement. According to the Combined Code address on accountability and auditing, the company's board should be able to show a balanced as well as an assessment that can be understood in order to determine the position and prospects of the company. This can simply be termed as financial reporting. The code provides that the directors in an annual report should explain their responsibility of Code Provisions The directors should explain in the annual report their responsibilities for account preparation and there should also be auditor's statements concerning their reporting responsibilities. The main roles and responsibilities of the committee for auditing include: It also recommends that, all directors including the non-executive directors should be re-elected at regular intervals by the shareholders. This contributes to continued improved and satisfactory performance. Th The code requires that a company should produce disclosure statements and also report on how they apply the principle of management and governance (La Porta et al. 2000). Companies should be free to explain the governance policies that they as well as any circumstances that have led them to employing a particular approach. The company has also to confirm that it adheres to the provisions of the Combined Code and if it does not, then it is liable to giving an explanation as to why it cannot comply. This is referred to as "comply or explain" approach and has been in existence for long whereby it is widely accepted by the investors as well as company boards. The people who are concerned with governance evaluation should do this with an aim of promoting partnership as well as trust in the company. They should consider company's nature of risks as well as the challenges that it faces. They should also consider the size as well as the complexity of the company. ISSUE 1. Non-executive directors and Independence. Non-executive directors play a very key role and are believed to be very effective in the building of good corporate governance structures. The chairman has the capability of holding meetings with non-executive directors even in the absence of executives. The non-executive directors also meet annually under the leadership of the senior independent director but in the absence of the chairman to give an appraisal on the performance of the chairman.The non-executive directors are usually provided with professional advice at the expense of the company whereby they consider it important to discharge

Minitab Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Minitab - Assignment Example To determine whether the wording of the cover letter influences the response rate, three different cover letters were used in a survey of students at a Midwestern university. Suppose that each of the three cover letters accompanied questionnaires sent to an equal number of randomly selected students. Returned questionnaires were then classified according to the type of cover letter (I, II, or III). Use the accompanying data to test the hypothesis that the true proportions of all returned questionnaires accompanied by cover letters I, II, and III are the same. Use a 0.05 significance level. As shown in Minitab output, all expected frequencies are greater than 1 and no expected frequency is less than 5. Furthermore, as stated in the problem, the sample is a simple random sample. Therefore, all the assumptions of the test are met. At the 5% significance level, the data provide sufficient evidence to conclude that the hypothesis that the true proportions of all returned questionnaires accompanied by cover letters I, II, and III are the same. 2. A survey was conducted in the San Francisco Bay area in which each participating individual was classified according to the type of vehicle used most often and city of residence. A subset of the resulting data is given in the accompanying table. Do the data provide convincing evidence of an association between city of residence and vehicle type? Use a significance level of 0.05. You may assume that it is reasonable to regard the sample as a random sample of Bay area residents. As shown in Minitab output, all expected frequencies are greater than 1 and no expected frequency is less than 5. Furthermore, as stated in the problem, it is reasonable to regard the sample as a random sample of Bay area residents. Therefore, all the assumptions of the test are met. Standardized residuals greater than 2 in absolute value provide evidence

Advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour

Advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour To look at life-span development, we need to be aware of what it is, although the meaning is within the name. It looks at how a normal person develops throughout the life-span. This process begins between conception and birth, the miracle of pregnancy where a one-celled organism develops into a foetus and finally a newborn baby emerges into the world. The development of this developing child is affected by the world around them. Affecting growth and at critical points can alter their genetic characteristics, which are developed within the womb, and the expression of these characteristics. Our exploration begins at birth, where who we are and will ultimately become is a life-long endeavour. (http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology/development/ 2001) In this assignment I am going to look at the infant period of the life-span. Development occurs across three separate yet overlapping domains. Biological, which looks at how the body matures, grows and changes. Psychosocial looks at an individuals personality and emotions and also their social expectations and interactions. Cognitive involves the mental processes of knowing which includes problem solving, imagining, reasoning and perceiving. According to Erikson (1950) there are 8 stages of development beginning with 0-1 year old, basic trust versus basic mistrust. This involves trusting that things will happen either through the childs own ability or trust that the childs care giver will provide what is needed. A key element in Eriksons theory is based on a secure attachment being made. This ties in with Bowlbys attachment theory (1969), as he believes a secure base must be formed in early years through attachment. He believes this attachment will impact future relationships. For example, attachment in adult intimate relationships can mirror earlier attachments in childhood, resulting in negative or positive attachments throughout the life-span. Eriksons second stage of development is for 2-3 year olds, autonomy versus shame, doubt. At this age childrens biological development includes learning to grasp, walk and other physical abilities which ultimately lead to free choice. The child begins to show control, for example with toilet training. However they may also develop a feeling of shame if the training is not handled adequately. Children need to be enabled to assert some control over their environment. Success with this leads the child to feeling a sense of purpose. However this needs to be balanced as the children who exert too much power can experience disapproval from their care giver which will result in the child feeling guilty. In social work practice some theories have influenced social work over the years. One example is psychosocial casework which in many ways is a development from psychodynamic theory in particular the ego psychology of writers such as Erikson. However Thompson criticises Eriksons work on human development as he feels it does tend to lack awareness of broader social issues (the significance of gender, for example) (Thompson, 2009, p89) A key theory I touched on briefly is attachment. In 1970 Ainsworth and Bell conducted a study which looked at the individual differences in attachment. They used a test called the strange situation to conduct the experiment; it involved mothers and 1 year old infants being observed by researchers in a play-room through a two way mirror. This study is relevant in practice as the social worker is the stranger. This is why the situation should be observed and record made of what occurs. As a social workers experience grows they may relate to what they observe on an attachment style. According to Bowlbys research there are lots of issues affecting attachment, for example, a mother suffering from post-natal depression may have trouble bonding with her child. This can have long-term effects on the child. However the child can form an attachment with another care giver. Although Bowlby insists on it being the mother this does not have to be the case, as children can adapt and attach to any care giver, as long as all needs are adequately met. Attachment is valid throughout the entire life-span not just in infancy. Every person has an attachment style that is unique to them. However a secure base is still needed as early attachment is crucial. When a child has a good early attachment they will learn to trust a new care giver because the child has previously learnt to trust. This again links Bowlby and Eriksons theories together, both putting attachment and trust as key issues in infancy. The intimacy of attachment is greatest at this early stage of infancy. Its difficult to get more intimate, than a vulnerable child with their primary care giver. There are 3 different kinds of attachment styles, ambivalent, secure and avoidance. Some attachment styles work well together and others dont. A social workers assessment in attachment styles is vital especially in adoption. As an ambivalent parent, who is very needy for love, this would clash with an avoidance child, whose reaction would be get away from me. Although Bowlbys theories are widely respected some feel his specification of the care giver being the mother as sexist. However his theory is valid and can be used with any care giver the child has and is vital in social work theory. A number of theorists have reconceptualised Bowlbys internal working model of attachment, which regulates communication with significant others, as a form of regulatory implicit rational memory (Bremmer and Slater, 2004, p208) This shows how Bowlbys attachment theory can be used as a base to support other theorists. Another key theorist for this stage of development is Freud. Freud (1905) believes that from the moment of birth the infants actions are driven by their desire for sexual and bodily pleasure. In infancy there are 3 stages to go through, the oral stage, the anal stage and the phallic stage. The initial oral stage is satisfied through sucking, for feeding. The second anal stage is released through the act of defecation. The final stage in infancy, the phallic stage is released through the infants interest in their sexual organs. Freud himself recognises the universal outrage that his theory was met with. Few of the findings of psychoanalysis have met with such universal contradiction or have aroused such an outburst of indignation as the assertion that the sexual function starts at the beginning of life and reveals its presence by important signs even in childhood. And yet no other findings of analysis can be demonstrated so easily and so completely. (Freud, 1925a: 216-217 cited in Thurschwell, 2009, p40) Looking at all the theorists and the life-span development in general gives you a benchmark of the norm. This enables us through the assessment process of any potential abnormalities that may be occurring. The theories are each relevant as they allow us to view why children exhibit certain behaviours. Theory is an integral part of social work, and the necessary tools needed are knowledge skills and values. Having adequate knowledge means knowing the relevant information, which when skilfully applied makes competent social work practice. Social workers need to be aware of people as ever growing individuals, with a past, present and future. It is vital to understand that service users are constantly changing and adapting to their surrounding environment. Children are not just miniature adults, they are their own individuals with separate wants and needs. We need to take this into account when dealing with children, and not talk around them. When this is not possible their best interests need to be at the heart of every decision made. Much of the distinction that we can make between adult and child owes a lot to how our society and the various cultures within it have constructed notions of what is appropriate for a child as opposed to what is appropriate for an adult. (Thompson and Thompson, 2008, p87-88) Although children need to be treated differently than adults we always need to be aware of the future of possibilities they have in front of them. A lot of who we become is mapped out in our childhood, so behaviours need to be noted and understood to help the individual in later life. One disadvantage the life-span development does not take into account is the world around us. This depending on the specific factor can lead to Anti-Discriminatory Practice (ADP) or Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP), for example. a lack of understanding and knowledge of different cultural issues. Societal issues have just as much of an effect on infants as on adults. The structure of society often puts people at a disadvantage, for example, societys reaction to disability or race can lead to poverty and even social exclusion. However even with these issues people can sill build up resilience. Resilience enables some individuals to achieve satisfactory outcomes despite their disadvantaged backgrounds. This can be seen through a good school compensating for a delinquent neighbourhood. Even infants show resilience, low birth weight poses a risk to the child, due to the child being unable to grow at the rate required to which in return could affect its immune system, leaving the baby more vulnerable. Therefore overcoming this shows great resilience at a very early age. Another issue this raises is society labelling those who are considered to be outside the norm. Labels tend to influence the way people view and respond to what is labelled. Labelling theory describes the response and expectations of others to an act labelled deviant. This may create a situation in which the labelled person can do no other than respond in the ways expected. (Davies, 2000, p181) The labelling will have an effect on the care giver and therefore on the infant as well. When looking at infants you need to be aware of the surrounding family. Who at this early and vulnerable stage in development will have a significant impact? So although poverty is not something the infant will even be aware of, the care giver will be all too aware. There are a number of circumstances that may affect the way a child is raised; poverty is just one societal implication that can have an effect on the entire family. Any of these circumstances can lead to unnecessary stress which will then also impact on the infant. A different factor that can affect growth and development is disease and illness. One example of a condition that affects a childs development is autism. It is considered that autistic children show a lack of interest in people and therefore fail to show the normal attachment to their care giver. Autistic children have varying degrees of communication problems and because learning through play can be restricted, the childs pattern of development will be affected. In autistic children the overall development is slow and they do not reach the same mental milestones as the child who is normal. However autistic children are known to reach islands of brilliance. For example, although their communication with other children is very limited they may show considerably better powers of memory or drawing skills. So although the development process is very different from the norm, they adapt to their environment as other children do. In the early years it is just a matter of persevering and lea rning to get to know the infant the same as any other care giver would. In the case of an autistic child the life-span development would not be very useful, nor would the theories that have been suggested during this assignment. The social worker working with the infant will have to do their first initial assessment. Here they are laying the foundation for future assessments. They will be looking at the infants development and growth but as mentioned earlier the family will also impact on the infant in various ways. This is where knowledge of the entire lifespan is useful. As every person who is involved with the infant plays a part in their development. So an awareness of what is normal for that person is an advantage. The social worker will also be looking at the social implications that have an effect on the family, both positive and negative. So working with the family as a unit, with the infants well-being at the heart of everything, the social worker can focus on reducing the risk and negative impacts and raising awareness of the positives. This should have a positive affect on the well-being of the child. In conclusion a good knowledge and understanding of the life-span development benefits social workers, as it shows what is considered to be normal development throughout life. This helps social workers recognise when someone is not on target and therefore raises awareness of potential problems. However the disadvantage to this is it doesnt take into account any outside factors that can affect development. These factors include society issues that can lead to ADP and AOP if not taken into account with users and handled appropriately.