Dance research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dance - Research Paper Example Vaslav was born in the year 1890 in Kiev. Vaslav’s parents were both dancers that were well acclaimed. This was one of the factors that motivated Vaslav to join the dancing world. The family had its own dancing company where they recruited and trained dancers. Vaslav was a natural dancer and did not require a lot of training. The dancing company trained dancers that performed all over Russia with Vaslav tagged along almost all the events. This was the basis of his experience and he gained a lot of confidence due to facing large crowds at a very young age (Kassing 173). The breakthrough for Nijinsky came when he met up with Sergei Diaghilev. This was one of the most prominent people in the entertainment scene at the time and Nijinsky was fortunate to be linked to him. After a while, he joined his dancing group where he got to learn various dance styles. At first, Nijinsky was not sure of which dancing routine he would pursue and thus, with assistance and training, got to try different dances (Russes). After several trials, he got to decide that ballet dancing was his routine of choice and from there on, he indulged fully in this. Diaghilev took Nijinsky alongside other dancers to Paris for a performance. In this performance, Nijinsky pleased the crowd and got a standing ovation alongside with the other dancers since he was the lead in that particular routine. Le Pavillon d’Armide is one of the most acclaimed pieces that the character performed (Russes). This is a piece that he performed in Paris and gave him a huge positive applaud. His style was different from the people that had initially acted and danced in the piece. The reason for this is that Nijinsky was creative. It is also significant to know that he had the ability to relate actively with the audience. In the particular piece, Nijinsky would at times bend over so as to greet his audience while still

Diversity in the World Essay Example for Free

Diversity in the World Essay One of the most profound factors in the universe is diversity. However the most evident diversity which affects peoples’ lives is racial and ethnic diversity. Although theories of origin of universe show a common source of all human races in the world, environmental factors in the area certain people live in can be held accountable for the diversity that is observed in human race. Undoubtedly, racial diversity is important in the world as it creates variety and taste in life; on the other hand, it is evident that diversity has also been a source of conflicts in the world. A world of diversity Personal experience with diverse cultures is very important in understanding the diversity in the world. An example could be the visit to the Eunoto ceremony from the Maasai community, which is one of the foreign traditional ceremonies in Kenya. Usually, tourist are informed about it during their stay in East Africa. The Maasai community which lives in the East African region is one of the conservative traditional communities which have refused to let go their practices. The Eunoto ceremony is used to mark the end of one age set’s period in service of worrier hood for the community and their consequent promotion to the junior elders. This marks their initiation to adult life where they can be allowed to marry and have children. Eunoto is a four day ceremony which takes place in an enclosed hut which is specified for that ceremony. Every warrior has his head shaved by his mother sitting on the same cowhide where he was circumcised. The head is then decorated and the shaving of the head means that they have lost the most valuable stage of their life which is full of freedom. After the ceremony, the now crowned junior elder may select a girl of his choice for a wife. At the same time some restriction like drinking milk and eating meat which are restricted in their warrior years are also lifted. (Finke, 2003) How can the one describe his/her racial and ethnic diversity? It is difficult to define the word race owing to the varied application of the word in different circumstance. The word race defines a particular group of people who can be identified through a common factor. This means that it is a group of people that share common characteristics (Kim, 2001). These characteristics can vary from factors like religious, skin color, and others. However, in everyday usage, the word race has been used predominantly based on the color of the skin thereby giving the black race and the light skinned race. This is just a construction of the society and the meaning many not be referring to provable differences. In defining ones personal racial and ethnic identity, it is natural to use of all these characteristics that have been used to differentiate one race from the other. In that case, based on the skin color, the person could say that he/she, for instance, is black American since his/her great grand parents were presumably, slaves who had been shipped from West African to work in Caribbean plantations. This kind of characteristic can be evidenced in ones physical character; even if the one doesn’t have a black complexion, he/she may have a chocolate complexion which may lead to the African origin. The heritage and cultural practices that have been inherited from grand parents may be passed down the line of generation and may be evident today. A race can also be defined in terms of other characteristics like language and religion. In terms of language, it may be hard to exactly foot ones ancestry since nowdays Americans usually know only American English language. At the same time, the ancestral language may not even be reflected in ones names. The name of a person can tell the origin of a person even without assessing other characteristic. For example the name Patel will assure that there is a high probability that the person is an Indian. Most people surrounding us every day have both names in English which can explain the level of assimilation of the African slaves in the American society. In terms of religion, a large percent of Americans families are Catholic. Catholic was a predominant religion in the tradition American plantations. However, sometimes, a little enquiry from ancestors how a certain family ended up being Catholics shows that many slaves and in deed Americans were converted to catholic during the independence era as they opposed the Anglican religion perpetuated by the British. Family customs are important practices that have been passed on from one generation to the other. In some families, there are practices which father insists on like the position of the first born in the family. The first born is supposed to provide example to the rest of the siblings. In an era where family divorces are on the rise, some fathers insist that once their children are married they would like to see them have a happy marriage like they have had. These are some of the customs among other that some parents have tried to pass on to their children in certain cultures. There are practice like dressing, music, and other practices that are preserved in our family. In term of dressing, some believe in dressing like a gentle lady or gentleman. This means dressing smart. In some families, every time the one enters in the house there will be a rock music playing as the onweners like no other. Taking children to see â€Å"the land of origin† is also very popular. How can the American culture be described? Evidently, American culture is the most diverse in the world, being a multilayered culture with huge cocktail of cultures blending together to produced the Americana culture. American culture is also the most influential in the world and different aspects like clothing (notably hip star), music (pop music), business, and others have defined the standard world culture. There are different evident factors that set the American culture from the rest. The Hollywood culture that defines entertainment is the most evident. Other clear aspects of American culture is the culture of consumption, racism based on three dominant groups including African American, white American and Hispanic, and fundamental religious culture of Christians, Jews, Islam, and Atheists. American culture is very rich in diversity. (Levenstein, 2003) What would happen if a resident of the United States of America changes sex? If the one wakes up next day and finds that he/she had changed sex, life would not change much in the modern American society. American society has moved toward gender homogeneity and anyone can perform any duty. There are no cultural restriction and those existing in different races have been overtaken the constitutional legislations. Ones life would, therefore, differ in terms of the biological gender roles and in no other aspect. Also, it can be said that throughout time some aspects like dressing and the general social life has been greatly changed by the wave of globalization but this is common to all the middle class. Conclusion Diversity in the world may be the source of variety and taste of life. There are diverse races of in the world with each defined by a set of culture practices. The one could consider being an African American but his/her racial and ethnic identity may be polarized by the mix up of cultures in the diverse American culture. Today, it might prove very difficult to point out culture practices that may identify individual racial background except for the color of their skin. Reference: Finke, J. (2003): Maasai – The Eunoto Ceremony. Retrieved on 22nd November 2008 http://www. bluegecko. org/kenya/tribes/maasai/eunoto. htmfrom Kim, U. (2001): Culture, science and indigenous psychologies: An integrated analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press Levenstein, H. (2003): Revolution at the Table: The Transformation of the American culture, Berkeley: University of California Press,

Double Standard Essay -- essays research papers fc

The existence of a double standard for Women today is a main reason why women become extremely radical. Women that do not appreciate being stereotyped and discriminated against, protest in forms of rallying and with lawsuits against people or institutions of society. The areas of society that use or even enforce a double standard against women may consider women to be inferior to men. This idea of superiority is discrimination. Often the work place, sports, and within homes do we see this idea of a double standard for women. There has always been a double standard for women. The early twentieth century was tough for most women. They were expected to stay at home, take care of the children and cook meals for their husbands. Women were viewed as simple objects that belonged to men. It was common for women or even young girls to dress like boys, they would be raised under strict eyes and forced to learn how to cook and clean, just like their mothers did. The work force consisted mostly of men, workers and higher executive style positions. During the mid twentieth century a woman would earn about half of what men earned for the same exact job, and with the same qualifications. The reason behind this was that a woman, especially a married woman is likely to work less due to the risk of having a child. In the work place the pay for women and number of managerial jobs, doctors, and lawyers has increased, however, equal pay is still a goal. The â€Å"glass ceiling† effect is an idea tha...

Interview with a Human Services Worker Essay

I chose to interview my mother. Her name is Barbara Lee and she works for the Riverside County Office of Education. She is an infant teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing. She has been working in her position for about 30 years and she still loves it! The human problems she works with are working with hearing impaired children and their families. There are both parent-child classroom settings and in-home settings. Some of the technologies used are hearing aids and auditory trainers. An auditory trainer is an electronic device that allow a person to focus attention on a speaker and reduce the interference of back round noise. I believe the model my mom’s position would exemplify would be Human Services, since she does teaching and parent support. A person involved with the agency by newborn hearing screenings, which refers newborn babies that have not passed his or her audiological screenings. Another way to be involved is by parent referral through Regional Center or other referrals from other infant programs. The rewarding part of Leslie’s job is that she can increase parent child communication, bonding, understanding and, overall developmental growth. She is also involved in making sure the child is placed in the appropriate program after the child turns 3. If Barbarba had the option to make a change in the program it would be to add a second class during the week. At the present time, there is only one class a week. The second class would be added after the child turned 2. Overall, she would like to provide more services for the children, but there unfortunately is not enough funding. The initial reason my mother started to work in the human services profession was because she felt there were not enough people that represented the deaf and hard of hearing. The college my mother went to which was Lewis and Clark University in Oregon had a well-known program for training teachers of the deaf. After all this time my mother still chooses  to work in the Human Services field because she feels that â€Å"working with young children provides increased family understanding in the development of the brain and communication abilities at an optimal time for both brain development and social connectedness† (B. Lee, personal communication, October 15,2010). Barbara Lee’s personal values impact on her performance because she believes in the positive spirit within individuals. She believes that the positivity can be used to promote positive human relationships within family situations. When my mother started the position years ago, she was unaware of the wide range of individual differences within families and cultures. Also how these differences affect family dynamics and how the role of cultural differences affect human interactions. Conclusion In conclusion, my mother loves her job and this is something that I am actually interested in doing. In these times, knowing sign language and specializing in deaf handicaps can in fact set one apart from the rest. Knowing that by seeing the babies once a week can really make a difference in their development is a big job that not everyone can handle. References Lee.B Personal Communication, October 15, 2010

Against Love Essay

At the beginning of this essay Kipnis says something stands out to me. â€Å"Love is, as we know, a mysterious and controlling force. It has vast power over our thoughts and life decisions. It demands our loyalty, and we, in return freely comply† (Kipnis 749). I think this is the best way to explain love. When there is someone that you really love you do and say things that you never imagine yourself doing. I think this is the main purpose of love and what everyone should feel. Love is not something you just stumble upon I think it is something that grows on you with time. I believe that if you love someone your willing to go out of your way and do extraordinary things for this person. I do not believe it would be a random person in front of you at the supermarket that you will do those types of things for, because you need to have a deep feeling and connection to this person. In this essay something else Kipnis said stood out to me. â€Å"But passion must not be allowed to die! † (Kipnis 751). I have never been married but I have been in love before. I believe that if there is passion you should never let it die. Passion is a strong barely controllable emotion that you have for another person. It is not something that you can stop or pretend to share with someone. Love can and will make you feel as if you are nothing without your other half. You will do and say things that you feel are crazy. Today I think so many people, mostly younger, rush into marriage because they feel as if it is the only way to keep their love for each other alive. I personally believe that love is not something that can be rushed. Do not get me wrong people can be young and fall in love and get married but you have to do it for the right reasons. I myself would love to find someone to have a deep love for. Love is so hard to explain but there is a passion that you find with someone else and it is not something you can just pretend to feel. I think that if it is meant to be then everything falls into place on its own. Something that I believe personally people are doing now days is getting married and if things do not seem to work out the answer simply is divorce. The divorce rate now days is growing higher and higher. Divorce is not something that is uncommon, I hate to say it but it is something that happens every day. After a while for one reason or the other people simply want out of the marriage and want to go their separate ways. Some people go into a marriage and come out very quickly; they decide it is simply not for them. On the other hand others stay together for 10 years and more before they decided they want out of the marriage. I personally believe that it is not the world’s job to keep marriages loyal. I do not feel that today marriage is taken seriously anymore because people think that if it does not work out why try and make things better if we can simply just get a divorce. Honestly what would people do if divorce was not an option? Would people have to learn to work their problems out? Would people just have to be miserable all the time? It is something to stop and think about. I personally believe now days that people honestly do not even think before getting married they are just caught up in the moment. I would say that this essay is a polemic. Kipnis basically argues of the fact that in order to have a good relationship and love someone you have to be able to meet the requirements of mutuality, communication and advanced intimacy. These are the big issues in relationships today. More people are breaking up and getting divorces because they will not come to a simple compromise to make their relationships work. A couple should have good communication skills. You have to learn to be in everything you do together because it is not just yourself anymore. It is you and your partner the one that you love. Works Cited Kipnis, Laura. â€Å"Agaisnt Love. † McQuade, Donald and Robert Atwan. The Writer’s Presence. Boston: St. Martin’s Bedford, 2009. 748-755.

5 Free Assessment Apps for Teachers

5 Free Assessment Apps for Teachers Teachers are always looking for new ways to assess their students work. Regardless of what curriculum you teach, assessment is something that teachers must do every day, even informally. Thanks to the latest in mobile technology, assessing students work has never been easier! Top 5 Assessment Apps Here are the top 5 assessment apps that will assist you in observing and assessing your students. Nearpod The Nearpod app is a must-have application if your school has access to a set of iPads. This assessment app has been used by over 1,000,000 students was awarded the Edtech Digest Award in 2012. The best feature of Nearpod is that it allows teachers to manage content on their students devices. Heres how it works: First the teacher shares content with their students, through materials, lecture and/or presentation. This content is then received by the students on their devices, and they are able to participate in activities. Then teachers are able to access students n real time by seeing the students answers and having access to post-session activity reports. This is by far one of the best assessment apps out on the market today. A Spelling Tests The A Spelling Tests app is a must-have for all elementary classrooms. Students can practice their spelling words, while teachers can track how they are doing. By each spelling test, students and teachers can see their results. Other great features include the ability to instantly see if you are right or wrong, unscramble mode to help sharpen spelling skills, and the ability to submit tests through email. GoClass App The GoClass app is a free iPad application that allows users to create lessons and share them with their students. Documents can be broadcasted through student devices and/or by projector or TV. GoClass allows users to formulate questions, draw diagrams, and share materials with students in the class. Teachers can also keep track of what students are using which lessons, and when they are using them. To check for student understanding, the teacher can post a question or poll and get immediate feedback. This will help the instructor tailor his/her lessons to make sure all students are understanding the concept that is being taught. Teacher Clicker If youre looking for a way to engage students while getting results in real time, then Socrative made this mobile app for you. Not only does this app save you time, but it will grade your activities for you! Some features include the ability to: ask open-ended questions and get real-time answers, create a quick quiz and receive a report with the quiz graded for you, have students play a fast-paced space race game where they answer multiple choice questions and you receive a report of their graded answers. There is a separate app called Student Clicker that must be downloaded for students tablets. MyClassTalk MyClassTalk was designed to assess students participation in the classroom. With just a tap of your finger, you can easily award points and rank students class participation. Users can even upload students photographs for an even better visual. Forget about writing names on the board for not participating, this easy-to-use app is all you need. Additional Assessment Apps Worth Mentioning Here are a few more assessment apps that are worth checking out: Edmodo - This is a great app for assigning quizzes and collecting homework.ClassDojo - If youre looking to assess student behavior this is a great app.Easy Assessment - Rubric Creation - This costs $1.99 but you can easily create a rubric in two steps.

Whts New in the New Economy essays

Whts New in the New Economy essays Whats New In The New Economy? When you picture the economy of America you can only visualize prosperity. Americas economy is a new economy and the reason behind that is the technology involved in every action taken towards the economy. People dont run the economy the computers and the Internet run the economy. This country is entering a digital economy. Its not at the same level it was in the 1920s when the entire United States was thrown in the well of depression. America has pulled itself in to a new revolutionized IT economy. The new economy competition at the workplace brings out the best and also the worst in companies. Those companies that tend to be at a higher standard invest their employees on training, quality improvements, customer satisfaction and research and development. The new economy brings higher paying job to higher skilled workers the demand is extremely high for education. The jobs that need to be filled are mostly attainable, to students of educational facilities who are enhancing their teachings, and up grading the material learned in the courses day by day. As the new technology is developed there needs to be educated people who can work with or on the new technology. The new economy also affects the unions, which benefit their members with increased comfort with their work benefits, hours and pay. The way the economy runs is the way our lives run. Technology is sprouting growth so fast that older assumptions on inflation productivity and profits etc. no longer hold. The new economys jobs are making themselves more flexible to the working parents who. Companies are flexing hours and days in order to accompany the kids and their parents. The new economy is also drastically fixing problems, which involve neglect from the children of working parents. Not to mention that the income and comfort of living for the ...

Definition and Examples of Surface Structure in Grammar

Definition and Examples of Surface Structure in Grammar In transformational and generative grammar, surface structure is the outward form of a sentence. In contrast to deep structure (an abstract representation of a sentence), surface structure corresponds to the version of a sentence that can be spoken and heard. A modified version of the concept of surface  structure is called  S-structure. In transformational grammar, deep structures are generated by phrase-structure rules, and surface structures are derived from deep structures by a series of transformations. In  The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar  (2014), Aarts et al. point out that, in a looser sense, deep and surface structure are often used as terms in a simple binary opposition, with the deep structure representing  meaning, and the surface structure being the actual sentence we see. The terms  deep structure  and  surface structure  were popularized in the 1960s and 70s by American  linguist  Noam Chomsky. In recent years, notes Geoffrey Finch, the terminology has changed:  Deep and surface structure have become D and S structure, principally because the original terms seemed to imply some sort of qualitative evaluation; deep suggested profound, whilst surface was too close to superficial. Nevertheless, the principles of transformational grammar still remain very much alive in contemporary linguistics (Linguistic Terms and Concepts, 2000). Examples and Observations The surface structure of a sentence is the final stage in the syntactic representation of a sentence, which provides the input to the phonological component of the grammar, and which thus most closely corresponds to the structure of the sentence we articulate and hear. This two-level conception of grammatical structure is still widely held, though it has been much criticized in recent generative studies. An alternative conception is to relate surface structure directly to a semantic level of representation, bypassing deep structure altogether.  The term surface grammar is sometimes used as an informal term for the superficial properties of the sentence.(David Crystal, A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 6th ed. Wiley, 2011)A deep structure is . . . the underlying form of a sentence, before rules like auxiliary inversion and wh-fronting apply. After all raisings apply, plus relevant morphological and phonological rules (as for forms of do), the result . . . is the linear, con crete, surface structure of sentences, ready to be given phonetic form.(Grover Hudson, Essential Introductory Linguistics. Blackwell, 2000) Surface Structure Cues and StrategiesThe surface structure of the sentence often provides  a number of obvious cues to the underlying syntactic representation. One obvious approach is to use these cues and a number of simple strategies that enable us to compute the syntactic structure. The earliest detailed expositions of this idea were by Bever (1970) and Fodor and Garrett (1967). These researchers detailed a number of parsing strategies that used only syntactic cues. Perhaps the simplest example is that when we see or hear a determiner such as the or a, we know a noun phrase has just started. A second example is based on the observation that although word order is variable in English, and transformations such as passivization can change it, the common structure noun-verb-noun often maps on to what is called the  canonical sentence structure SVO (subject-verb-object). That is, in most sentences we hear or read, the first noun is the subject, and the second one the object.  In fact, if we made use of this strategy we could get a long way in comprehension. We try the simpler strategies first, and if they do not work, we try other ones.(Trevor A. Harley,  The Psychology of Language: From Data to Theory,  4th ed. Psychology Press,  2014) Chomsky on Deep and Surface Structures[T]he generative grammar of a language specifies an infinite set of structural descriptions, each of which contains a deep structure, a surface structure, a phonetic representation, a semantic representation, and other formal structures. The rules relating deep and surface structuresthe so-called grammatical transformationshave been investigated in some detail, and are fairly well understood. The rules that relate surface structures and phonetic representations are also reasonably well understood (though I do not want to imply that the matter is beyond dispute: far from it). It seems that both deep and surface structures enter into the determination of meaning. Deep structure provides the grammatical relations of predication, modification, and so on, that enter into the determination of meaning. On the other hand, it appears that matters of focus and presupposition, topic and comment, the scope of logical elements, and pronominal reference are de termined, in part at least, by surface structure. The rules that relate syntactic structures to representations of meaning are not at all well understood. In fact, the notion of representation of meaning or semantic representation is itself highly controversial. It is not clear at all that it is possible to distinguish sharply between the contribution of grammar to the determination of meaning, and the contribution of so-called pragmatic considerations, questions of fact and belief and context of utterance.(Noam Chomsky, lecture given in January 1969 at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. Rpt. in Language and Mind, 3rd ed. Cambridge University  Press, 2006)

Art galleries in berlin Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Art galleries in berlin - Thesis Example The situation is almost the same as in New York, a cultural center wherein a recent Van Gogh exhibit drew crowds bigger than the combined Redskin’s home games. (Savageau 2007, p. 101) the Berlin art scene divides sharply into east and west, the latter containing the expensive, more established galleries in Charlottenburg and Tiergarten and the former reflecting the current energy and attention. The area around the Augustustrasse in Mitte, which became the breeding ground of wild and crazy art in the first years after the Wall, is now known as the "Art Mille" - after the many galleries that have sprung up along its streets. The survival of many art galleries in Berlin deserve to be investigated. For art galleries to succeed, wrote Owen, a lot of complementary infrastructure is needed, on both the supply side and the demand of marketing side: â€Å"On the supply side†¦ art required a training network and an intense native ethos. On the marketing side, success required a thick market of sophisticated, well-placed buyers and an active set of dealers and secondary institutions. (p. 68-69) What really makes an art gallery tick? Or, more specifically, what kind of gallery will be successful and survive in Berlin? This paper will investigate this issue and for such purpose, the following secondary objectives will be pursued: This study will primarily use the qualitative method of inquiry. What this means is that the author will exhaust available document on the subject of the study both from the organization itself and third-party records. Case studies will be employed in order to present authoritative findings by functioning as reference points in the discussion. It must be underscored that, in the past, quantitative method could have sufficed but today, the dynamics in research has changed. Denzin and Lincoln (2005) maintained: â€Å"Rapid social change and the resulting diversification of life worlds are increasingly

Democracy and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Democracy and Development - Essay Example This paper approves that U.S emerged as the winner of the war that was killing so many people and causing global disruptions. While Germany and Russia were causing havoc to other nations, the U.S went against its isolation policy to involve in the war. The incident marked a fundamental political development of the U.S at a time when it needed it most. Second, the decision enhanced the U.S economic development both locally and overseas. It could influence world affairs and partner with many countries for economic development. At times, leaders need to exercise non-democratic decisions to achieve development either economically or politically. This report makes a conclusion that democracy is a significant political tool that determine nature of governance. Critically, justice advocates for the participation of subjects in matters of political rule and decisions. Most democratic nations indicate a high level of development, but still evidence shows that strict adherence to democratic principles is not suitable for development. Some of the challenges that democratic societies face are the dominance of majority because even minority deserve fair representation. Without democratic leadership, societies witness tyranny of the majority. Some of the non-democratic nations that exhibited good developments include Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Egypt, and Libya. Democracy is necessary for development but only through a critical framework that manages conflicting interest of society members. Otherwise, focused autocratic governments can promote developments better than traditional ones due to the speed of decision-making process.

Popular Culture Media Representation and the Construction of Social Essay

Popular Culture Media Representation and the Construction of Social Reality ( See questionsessay thesis below) - Essay Example Under this, again, we have sub-categories as well. Therefore, media diverges into various streams that operate under different conditions and specifications. And very evidently, each of them has a varied mode of consensus containment. The print media, which comes in the form of magazines, newspapers, journals and the like, operates on a more manual mode of obtaining consensus. They attempt to perhaps, try and attach importance to each individual's opinion, by resolving differences that might arise. For instance, they rely on public polls and even letters to the editor. The public can w rite in opinions and the media does try to present a consensus of the majority opinion, if not that of the entire masses. However, one major disadvantage of this media is the fact that in achieving consensus, it does omit those who have no access to reading material and the illiterate or uneducated. The broadcast media, consisting of television and radio, is more open to anyone who can voice their opinions. It need not have to be restricted to only the educated.

Wetlands Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Wetlands - Research Proposal Example Other reptiles, mammals and birds have not only made wetlands their habitats but also a breeding site (Russo, 2008). The wetlands act as a sponge in trapping runoff water during a rainy storm and as the water is released slowly it is filtered thus removing toxic substances. Water will move through the plants and the small spaces in the soil allowing nutrients to be absorbed while pollutants will be trapped. Although seventy five percent of the earth surface is covered by water, there is only three percent of fresh water. Therefore, it is important to seek alternative ways of purifying water for the six billion people in this planet to consume. This research will test the hypothesis that water at the end of the river will be cleaner than at the beginning. I will evaluate if the ecological environment around the river will clean the water as it flows downstream. The study will test if wetlands can reduce the amount of toxins carried away in water runoff by using its plants and other micro-organisms in the purification process. The Passaic river has several swamps and meanders thus making it appropriate for the research study. The research will seek to identify which types of plants or organisms will be crucial in minimizing pollutants. Different plants will have varying results in the amounts of reduced chemicals; therefore the study will establish the type of plants in the wetlands that removed the chemicals more efficiently. Likewise, it is important to establish the effect of the toxins on habitats of the wetlands and the harm caused by continuous drainage of metals into saturated ground water. Wetlands can be classified differently using the system developed by Cowardin that divides wetlands according to the aquatic environment they are connected to. They are categorizes as: Marine wetlands that are found in seawaters, Estuarines that

Organizational Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational Change - Assignment Example Company Overview: R.R. Donnelley, one of the largest printing companies in the world, is based in the United States of America. The company, which is listed in the NASDAQ: RRD, is regarded as the global provider of different integrated communications as well as printing services. The company is working collaboratively and collectively with more than almost 60,000 customers across the world for the purpose of developing different solutions in respect to custom communications. These solutions are reducing costs of the production of the company, driving top line growth in favor of the company and also are enhancing research and development and are also ensuring observance. Drawing on the range of proprietary as well as commercially accessible digital and different conventional technologies organized across four continents, R.R. Donnelley & Sons employs a group of leading â€Å"Internet based capabilities† as well as other resources. These resources are applied for the purpose of providing â€Å"pre-media, printing, logistics and business process outsourcing services† to different clients in practically every private as well as public sector around the world (About Us, 2012). Diagnosis: There are various needs or requirements for organizational changes which are conducted in different business organizations across the globe. One of the most important factors which emerge as constant in different business organizations today is organizational change. Undeniably, the organization’s ability or capacity to deal with different changes gives the company a competitive advantage in the market. Organizational learning and changes have been identified as one of the most significant methods for making certain the success of different continual changes made in organizations. Researchers, however, do not deal with various emotional implications in respect to the changes which are made in various business organizations across the globe. Large number of resea rchers, in their articles, has shown the advancements in regard to the proposal that organizational changes are inherently emotional as well as produce wide ranges of emotions and/or feelings in individuals and in organizations during these organizational change which require micro-level as well as macro-level management. Large number of researchers has also pointed out the emotional aspects in respect to dealing with these organizational changes. In general, these researchers have identified the fact that emotional consequences of those organizational changes, however, there exists small research available, which identifies the fact that emotional skills are needed to successfully manage these organizational changes (Jordon, n.d., 456). Organizational changes which are required by the company R.R. Donnelley are mainly related to those organizational changes which are made for the overall improvement of the organization. These changes are required to be made on the ground of the fac t that the business organization is needed to be made more and more effective in respect to developments of the working environments and also in respect to the overall growth of the organization. In this context the changes are needed because Understanding the degree of staff commitment is expected to assist the business organization under consideration in selecting the most efficient working force

Development of the Constitution Act of Canada and the sections which Essay

Development of the Constitution Act of Canada and the sections which apply to immigration - Essay Example Immigrants were freely allowed in to Canada so that they could occupy the available lands and create market for Canadian commodities. Two years later, in 1869, the government passed the first immigration Act that had a few discriminatory restrictions. The discriminations were for strategic reasons and was supported by some Acts such as the1885 Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act (Makarenko). The Second World War made the Canadian government to enact more legislations on immigration that did not allow immigrants from enemy countries. These restrictions were enacted in the Wartime Elections Act and War Measures Act. After the world war there was need to create a more socially integrated nation that would favor economic growth considering that there were immigrants from counties that were perceived as enemies. Later the government banned immigration of Chinese people due to Canadians losing their jobs to immigrants. In 1976, the Canadian government introduced another law that provided a new policy for admission of immigrants and it gave categories of immigrants. The categories were independent, humanitarian, assisted-relative and family classes. Later, in 1978, the government recognized refugees as legal immigrants (Makarenko). The government still recognizes the earlier reasons for the need for immigrants. The country still needed immigrants for economic growth and thus in 2001 the government passed Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that put restrictions on immigration eligibility (Government Of Canada, 2001). Later the government got into agreement with America and British-Columbia so as to regulate inflow of refugees from these two countries (Makarenko, 2012). Makarenko, J. (2012, August 12). Immigration Policy in Canada: History, Administration and Debates. Retrieved from Maple Leaf Web:

Organizational Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational Change - Assignment Example Company Overview: R.R. Donnelley, one of the largest printing companies in the world, is based in the United States of America. The company, which is listed in the NASDAQ: RRD, is regarded as the global provider of different integrated communications as well as printing services. The company is working collaboratively and collectively with more than almost 60,000 customers across the world for the purpose of developing different solutions in respect to custom communications. These solutions are reducing costs of the production of the company, driving top line growth in favor of the company and also are enhancing research and development and are also ensuring observance. Drawing on the range of proprietary as well as commercially accessible digital and different conventional technologies organized across four continents, R.R. Donnelley & Sons employs a group of leading â€Å"Internet based capabilities† as well as other resources. These resources are applied for the purpose of providing â€Å"pre-media, printing, logistics and business process outsourcing services† to different clients in practically every private as well as public sector around the world (About Us, 2012). Diagnosis: There are various needs or requirements for organizational changes which are conducted in different business organizations across the globe. One of the most important factors which emerge as constant in different business organizations today is organizational change. Undeniably, the organization’s ability or capacity to deal with different changes gives the company a competitive advantage in the market. Organizational learning and changes have been identified as one of the most significant methods for making certain the success of different continual changes made in organizations. Researchers, however, do not deal with various emotional implications in respect to the changes which are made in various business organizations across the globe. Large number of resea rchers, in their articles, has shown the advancements in regard to the proposal that organizational changes are inherently emotional as well as produce wide ranges of emotions and/or feelings in individuals and in organizations during these organizational change which require micro-level as well as macro-level management. Large number of researchers has also pointed out the emotional aspects in respect to dealing with these organizational changes. In general, these researchers have identified the fact that emotional consequences of those organizational changes, however, there exists small research available, which identifies the fact that emotional skills are needed to successfully manage these organizational changes (Jordon, n.d., 456). Organizational changes which are required by the company R.R. Donnelley are mainly related to those organizational changes which are made for the overall improvement of the organization. These changes are required to be made on the ground of the fac t that the business organization is needed to be made more and more effective in respect to developments of the working environments and also in respect to the overall growth of the organization. In this context the changes are needed because Understanding the degree of staff commitment is expected to assist the business organization under consideration in selecting the most efficient working force

Ethical Challenges for Non-Profits Research Paper

Ethical Challenges for Non-Profits - Research Paper Example These organizations perform a vital function and oftentimes subject only the guidance of their benefactors. Their workers fight many fronts, in diverse fields, such as helping eliminate racial discrimination, poverty, diseases, hunger and political persecution, for example. They provide an important service which is often not very much appreciated and in many instances, overlooked because they work without much fanfare. A good example are religious organizations which provide food or soup kitchens, helping homeless people get a warm meal in the middle of winter. Their efforts cannot be underestimated for they fill in the gaps where the government and the private sectors fail at times. By working and aiding the marginalized sectors of society, they provide hope and meaning to many lives. There are many pitfalls and benefits to capitalism but one of the most egregious failures is that certain sectors of society can get left out. Globalisation has been increasing due to the big innovati ons in communications and technology which helped move people, goods and services much easier worldwide, as shown by higher flows of capital in foreign direct investments (FDI) but one drawback is that in some instances, some people ended up poorer instead of being richer. People with conscience are rightly concerned with this inequality and this gave rise to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and this paper takes a deeper look at one aspect of this issue. Discussion Corporate social responsibility had become a buzzword in business sectors because it is now considered a part of doing business; it is one form how an economic entity gives back to the community which has sustained it and is now generally conceded a part of continuing success. A good number of big or global organizations have adopted CSR as a part of their business model. It is now an integral part of doing business, and in this connection, many of them had developed their own models of doing so. The lofty goals of C SR evolved from its own attempts of having a good code of ethics in the wake of some previously questionable business practices; the goals are intended to make a company compliant with legal regulations, ethical and moral standards, and a good way to practice and embrace generally-accepted international norms of doing business. The prevalence of CSR today had been partly due to the active advocacies of nonprofit groups in the prior years which are now bearing the fruits of their work only today. A good CSR policy put in place guides the firm in making the best decisions for all stakeholders involved. A business firm can opt for several modes in how to go about implementing its CSR but three forms have been suggested within the context of this issue in which there are some nagging concerns on how best to execute a CSR policy in view of their profit motives as for-profit firms. A key issue involved is one of costs, in which funds and resources devoted to this policy can be evaluated i n terms of their efficiency and effectiveness. Activities and funds related to CSR must be maximized and the three options are to contribute (giving to charitable or nonprofit groups), to collaborate (by working closely and partnering with a chosen nonprofit organization) or lastly, to just build up an in-house program

Fire Safety Essay Example for Free

Fire Safety Essay On a cold summers night the fire department received a two-alarm house fire. When the first-in engine arrived on the scene they reported heavy smoke and flames visible from the exterior. Others units then arrived on the scene to help battle the blaze that destroyed the two-story house. Thankfully, no one was injured. Fire investigators determined the cause of the blaze was a candle that has been left burning unattended while the homeowners left the house. Accidents like this are the reason for fire safety awareness. Fire safety is an essential part of education for both the public and firefighters that has proven to decrease the risk of accidental fires and fire related deaths. The history of the fire service dates back to the early days of history. The service has evolved dramatically from the beginning. The first records of the fire service were recorded when a firefighting force emerged â€Å"during the rule of the roman empire† (Lincolnshire 1). The first try of using a fire brigade didn’t work as planned as nearly a quarter of Rome went up in smoke under rule of emperor Augustus. The first fire brigade used slaves to attempt to put out the raging fires. Later â€Å"Britain got its first organized fire brigade in 43 AD when the Romans invaded. After they left Britain’s first fire brigade disbanded† (Lincolnshire 1). At these early times in history people begin to realize the need for a fire department and the uses for spreading fire safety to protect civilians came about. The main reason for teaching fire safety evolved from these times. It is meant to protect and help save lives when fire is present in ones environment. Firefighting is one of the most honorable jobs in America. They play a major role in the communities in which they work. Firefighters don’t only work to put out fires that occur but also spend much of their time educating the public in an effort to help prevent fires before they start. Webster’s Dictionary defines fire safety as: public education and awareness to help reduce the risk of fires (â€Å"Fire Safety† 500). Fire safety is a simple and  inexpensive in educating the public and can be very helpful in preventing fires (Elken 641). Many fire departments get the community involved in programs to educate people of all ages. There are many types of programs and ways to make fire safety education realistic and interesting to learn about. One of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to share life-saving information is through the public service announcements (Elken 641). Some examples of this are methods such as radio and television commercials. Some fire departments have fire safety trailers. These trailers have often been remodeled to make the living areas of a house realistic but in a much smaller scale. They are fixed to make the sounds and a smoky environment that one might encounter if caught in an actual fire. It is stressed to stay low during a fire in a smoky environment. They also have stoves and fire suppression equipment such as fire extinguishers to educate in how to extinguish small fire such as one that may occur on the stove like a grease fire. Another great safety  program takes place in schools all across the nation. â€Å"Fire prevention and education programs are put in place to teach the dangers of fire and how to evacuate the building quickly and properly in case of an emergency in the learning atmosphere† (Elken 643). Fire drills are an example of procedures that take place in the school to inform students what to do in case of an emergency. These are a few examples of fire safety programs taught around the nation. The need for fire safety has never been higher. As more and more people move into the nation referred to as the â€Å"melting pot† more and more precautions need to be taken as the population increases. The US Fire Administration states â€Å"The US has one of the most highest death rates in the industrialized world (US Fire 1). â€Å"About 5,700 people are killed every year in fires and about 29,000 civilians are injured in fire related injuries† (US Fire 1). Furthermore, â€Å"Careless smoking is one of the most commons reason for fires in residential fires† but â€Å"arson is one of the major causes of death in commercial fire fatalities† (Elken 645). Fire safety is an essential part of public knowledge to help prevent these deaths and fire related injuries. There are many ways to help prevent fire deaths and injuries. Statistics show â€Å"A working smoke detector doubles a person’s chance of surviving a fire. Approximately 90 percent of US homes have at least one smoke detector. Nearly half the residential fires and three fifths of fatalities occur in home with no detectors† (US Fire 2). Smoke and fire detectors can be located throughout a  structure usually close to sleeping quarters. Battery or electricity or both operate them. All batteries should be changed when the time changes. Fire extinguishers should always be placed throughout the house in case of a fire. It is not only important to have this type of devise but it is essential to know how to fully operate it. All basic extinguishers are the same in that they have a handle, and pin to pull for activation by squeezing the handle, and a nozzle that can be pointed to the base of the fire. Another system that is becoming popular and required by fire code in some establishments is the installation of sprinkler systems. The Systems â€Å"have become more cost effective and can usually be installed for .75 to 1.50 dollars per square foot (US Fire 2). It is very important to have some type of devise in the home in the event of an emergency. It is obvious fire safety education is necessary to decrease the risk of fire fatalities. The NFPA says, â€Å"since 1980, fire calls have fallen 43%† (Top Ten 1). Firefighters hard work across the nation is paying off when it comes to public education. As the world strives to reach higher standards in technology I think there will be an even greater decrease in fires in both the residential and commercial environment. As long as the firefighters and communities continue to work together to teach people of all ages about the importance of preventing fire and how to react in the event that one may occur the rate of fire fatalities and injuries will continue to decrease. Saving lives and property is what fire safety is all about.

Must Christians Chose Between Evolution and Creationism? Essay

Must Christians Chose Between Evolution and Creationism? The debate of evolution and creationism has extended since the beginning of time. In fact, it is not even as simple as these two opposing views. Each person seems to have formed their own theory which has a unique list of beliefs and dimensions. This makes a complex and difficult task when trying to find agreement between each of these unique theories. However, many Christians are finding it necessary to discover an alternative to the extremist views of evolution and creationism. An article on the world wide web entitled the "Theory of evolution vs. creation," summarizes the debate between evolution and creationism. According to this article, the controversy between these theories began because of two differing beliefs on the meaning of life. It states that, "Evolutionists use the scientific method which assumes that everything happens as a result of natural forces, not by the command of a deity. They will usually trace origins back to the `big bang.' And when skeptics ask what happened before the big bang, scientists may offer some guesses, but will usually admit that they don't know." On the other side of the debate, the creation scientists believe that, "God created the universe, including the earth and its life forms. And when scientific skeptics ask who created God, creationists will usually reply that God has always existed and was not created."(OCRT,1996) A battle between the two theories erupts because evolution and creationism delve deeply into philo sophical and theological conceptions. More likely than not, the evolution and creationism debate is an issue of religion. On religious grounds such as these, science is not prepared or adept to resolve the exi... ...tion Controversy. Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press. Myers, Jesse. (1996). Biology Senior Seminar Student Papers: A Look at Scientific Creationism. Wright, Richard T. (1989). Biology: Through the eyes of faith. New York, New York: HarperSanFrancisco. Zabilka, Ivan L. (1992). Scientific Malpractice: The Creation/Evolution Debate. Lexington, KY: Bristol Books. Zook, Marc E. (1987). Biology Senior Seminar Student Papers: Origins:A Collection of Thoughts. Web Resources: What are Evolution and Creation Science? [Online] Available: www.religioustolerance.org/ev_evol.htm [November 1996] History of the Conflict of Evolution vs. Creation Science. [Online] Available: www.religioustolerance.org/ev_hist.htm [November 1996] Theory of Evolution vs. Creation Science. [Online] Available: www.religioustolerance.org/evolution.htm#menu [November 1996]

Angelas Ashes :: essays research papers

The McCourt family leaves their apartment in Brooklyn to set sail for Ireland, leaving behind an apartment with indoor plumbing and the memory of a dead sister in hopes of finding a better life amongst â€Å"the poverty, the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father, the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire, pompous priests, and bullying schoolmasters† of Ireland. This tragic story is told from the point of view of a child, Frank McCourt, whose father is a driftless alcoholic and whose mother does moan by the fire. McCourt is able to use humor, irony, and point of view to make the tale of Angela’s Ashes one which will never be forgotten. The humor used throughout the novel breaks the tension of what would otherwise be a very depressing story. When confronted with fleas in the mattress of the bed, the father is instructed to by a man on the street to â€Å"confuse the little buggers† by turning the mattress upside down. Obviously, this is not going to rid the mattress of fleas, nor will it confuse them. The reader is aware of this, and the incident is humorous. Another example of humor that can be found in the novel occurs on the day of Frank’s first communion. He becomes sick and his communion wafer finds its way into his grandmother’s back yard. She then sends him to confession and instructs him to ask the priest what can be done to fix the problem. The big deal she makes about having â€Å"God in my back yard† is humorous to the reader, who knows that the communion wafer is not really God. Irony also plays a large role in keeping the story interesting. There is a poem that Mam recites to a neighbor about Ireland that states: â€Å"And Limerick town has no happier hearth than mine has been with my man from the North.† Pap is from the north and is of no use to the family. He does nothing to make them happy or to make life easier on them, so this poem does not work with the situation Mam is in. Another situation that may not be considered to be fortunate in these days is the wake. Wakes are considered to be good because there is food and warm shelter while one is mourning the dead. It is once commented that, â€Å"there is nothing like a wake for having a good time. Angelas Ashes :: essays research papers The McCourt family leaves their apartment in Brooklyn to set sail for Ireland, leaving behind an apartment with indoor plumbing and the memory of a dead sister in hopes of finding a better life amongst â€Å"the poverty, the shiftless loquacious alcoholic father, the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire, pompous priests, and bullying schoolmasters† of Ireland. This tragic story is told from the point of view of a child, Frank McCourt, whose father is a driftless alcoholic and whose mother does moan by the fire. McCourt is able to use humor, irony, and point of view to make the tale of Angela’s Ashes one which will never be forgotten. The humor used throughout the novel breaks the tension of what would otherwise be a very depressing story. When confronted with fleas in the mattress of the bed, the father is instructed to by a man on the street to â€Å"confuse the little buggers† by turning the mattress upside down. Obviously, this is not going to rid the mattress of fleas, nor will it confuse them. The reader is aware of this, and the incident is humorous. Another example of humor that can be found in the novel occurs on the day of Frank’s first communion. He becomes sick and his communion wafer finds its way into his grandmother’s back yard. She then sends him to confession and instructs him to ask the priest what can be done to fix the problem. The big deal she makes about having â€Å"God in my back yard† is humorous to the reader, who knows that the communion wafer is not really God. Irony also plays a large role in keeping the story interesting. There is a poem that Mam recites to a neighbor about Ireland that states: â€Å"And Limerick town has no happier hearth than mine has been with my man from the North.† Pap is from the north and is of no use to the family. He does nothing to make them happy or to make life easier on them, so this poem does not work with the situation Mam is in. Another situation that may not be considered to be fortunate in these days is the wake. Wakes are considered to be good because there is food and warm shelter while one is mourning the dead. It is once commented that, â€Å"there is nothing like a wake for having a good time.

Slave Boy – Creative Writing

Today, my brain is a whirlwind of emotions: memories from my past. A past I would like to forget but can't. I will begin my story, my story, from when I was just six years of age and taken from my family. It feels strange to look over the shores of my native lands, the same land on which I was sold to white men to work as a slave. We the, Africans were seen as an inferior and uncivilised race, enough justification to be enslaved and treated little better than animals.My real name was Nkauwa but they called me Sam. My identity; my family; my culture; my freedom; they took everything from me and changed it. My life would never be the same again. It was Nigerean slave dealers who rounded us up like cattle. The vast majority of us were caught during fighting against other African groups, prisoners of war. The rest were criminals like me, but my only crime was stealing fruit from the market, my punishment? a lifetime of enslavement. Our hands were tied behind our backs with pieces of rough string that stopped the blood from reaching our fingers. Being six at the time I did not understand why women were crying, their shrieks of horror threw me off-balance and I panicked, I did not understand what was going on, nor did I recognise any faces around me. I asked a man behind me why they had brought us here and he told me sadly, † to learn the ways of the white-faced people.† I felt so alone for the first time and I had a feeling I would be alone for a long while. I started to cry. When the ship rose up through the horizon, all commotion stopped at the magnificent yet terrifying sight, I had seen boats but never on that scale before. The silence was tense with apprehension and fear of the unknown. When the ship had anchored, twenty of so rowing boats came to shore, filled with crates of guns, cloths and lead. It was the first time I had seen white flesh, by no means was it to be the last. Time was spent by both parties inspecting each others goods, as if we were merely objects of little value. They looked in our mouths and felt our muscle-span to see if we would be strong efficient workers. The white men showed the slave dealers how to operate thier new weapons and then we were rowed to the ship; little did I know of the conditions that would face me for the ten week voyage of hell. I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received a stench in my nostrils I had never experienced in my life; we were packed so tightly we had just enough room to turn to turn ourselves and I could not stand up without my head touching the ceiling. The air was fetid, it nearly suffocated me. I began to vomit before the ships anchor had even been raised. It was a scene of horror for the worst ten weeks of my life. The conditions and our hunger brought on sickness amongst us, many of whom died. The crew of the ship cleared the dead in the morning and fed us barely edible, meagre meals. The wretched situation was aggravated by the chains and filth we were living in . At some point in the journey the crew must have realised that if they kept us under the deck for the whole journey there would be no slaves left, so they let small groups on the deck every few days. I sobbed to myself most nights but no one comforted me apart from the groans of the dying. At times I wondered to myself, if this is just the journey, what would the destination be like? The suffocating smell brought sharp, stabbing pains upon my lungs. When we were finally taken off the boat, I was almost too weak to move and I felt terrible. Welcome to America! As I was carried off the boat, the wind hit my face like an explosion and my body siezed up with pains shooting through my muscles. We stood in a yard in the docks, suddenly the doors were thrown open and a considerable number of men waving money and rope rushed towards us in a scramble. The men had the ferocity of brutes as they grabbed frantically at us; again I experienced the touching of muscles and inspecting our teeth, precisely as a jockey examines a horse. It is scarcely possible to describe the confusion and fright I felt as a small child. A tall, scruffy man with a long beard and hat grabbed my shoulders and shoved me in a corner with the rest of his chosen purchases, grumbling † This one looks like and investment.† The choas continued as we were led away and put on the back of his horse and cart. The man was swearing and smoking his pipe when in a temper, he whipped the horses into a trot. We were off! I was still adjusting to the change of environment from the ten weeks under deck and my body was in a lot of pain. As we travelled through the hustle and bustle of the Southern town of Missisippi, Louisiana, we entered the rural countryside and after an hour or so we stopped at a large, wooden farmhouse, complete with a mill that was spurting out clouds of white smoke from its chimney into the clear blue sky. Aproaching closer I noticed behind the mill, a small village of huts and a huge open plantation with with cotton plants growing in thick formations. We were escorted off the cart and brought into another yard outside the farm house from where we were called up one by one to enter the house. It was a very nervous wait and I noticed lots of other black workers already in the fields. I had no idea what was going on but when I was called up I knew something terrible was going to happen by the way the man looked at me with a mean and menecing smile which sent shivers down my spine that I can still remember to this day. He walked towards me and grabbed me by my ear and dragged me inside, to a room containing a large fire place with a crackling fire. Next to the fireplace stood an African house servant and in the centre of the room a desk with the tall, bearded man who drove the cart. He stopped writing, looked up at me, poured himself a glass of whiskey and drank it in one go. The man proceeded to talk to the servant in English, and in turn the servant translated it into Nigerean and repeated it to me. â€Å"Your name's Sam, call me boss, you'll work only for me now, pickin' cotton on my plantation, sunrise to sunset.† He paused and then said † If I catch you slacking or even worse, trying to escape, you will be whipped till the skin falls off your back, do you understand, me?† I looked at the man behind the desk blankly, he nodded to the servant who in turn advanced behind me and pinned me to the desk. I desperately tried to wriggle out of his firm grip but, it was useless, the more I struggled the more the boss laughed, he strolled to the fireplace and reached inside to reveal a red-hot branding iron which he used to torment me by holding it close to my face, making beads of sweat form from the heat and from fear. I was begging, pleading for his mercy but he didn't listen, he pushed it hard against my forehead, producing a horrifying hissing noise and the foul smell of burning flesh. It would be a mark that would never leave me, It hurt physically and mentally; to be branded like cattle, an act of pure evil. The pain was unbearable. For days I couldn't concentrate on anything but the burning sensation, it made me violently sick with fever but I was expected to start work straight away. I was given a huge hand woven basket to fill, I watched to learn the correct technique, a fairly simple task; picking the white flowers by twisting the stems on which they form along the main branches. The plants grew in dense lines which were the same height as me, it was very easy to get lost in the endless jungle of the plantation fields. As the day turned into night and there was not enough light to work in we were given a form of corn meal in tin bowls, it had been produced cheaply with few nutrients. I was also issued with new clothing made from very coarse cotton; uncomfortable to wear but much better than the filthy rags I wore on the ship. No shoes were issued, I still walked barefooted, everywhere I went. The new slaves were put into the accommodation of the already over-crowded huts. The tiny wooden, dank huts were set out in rows and contained no sanitation at all. The huts were filthy a perfect breeding ground for disease. They were window-less and smelly, with broken glass, old shoes and rags that littered around the floor. I squeezed into a hut, with ten people, cold and in a place thousands of miles from our homes. I missed my family. I felt the power of death over life , I knew what I had to do, I had to escape. I lay awake for the best part of the night, planning for the best method and timing for my escape. After hours of thought I realised, there was no easy way out and now was as good a time as any other. At this point everyone in my hut was asleep. My heart was racing, I sat up, took a deep breath and opened the creaking, rotting door, I started to run, passing the house, then the gate and then the sign post. I ran like the wind and I didn't slow down. I was running on nothing but the fuel of my anger, the anger I had built up inside me, since the very first moment I was captured. I didn't stop until I felt safe and my lungs were gasping for air. I kept a steady pace up and by the time I reached the town the sun was rising in the East but it was far too early for people to be out and about. As I entered the wharf I remembered the fact I still had no idea how I was to get on a ship heading back to Africa. My heart sank and I slumped down behind some crates and began to cry. I was convinced I would not get any further until†¦. suddenly I heard a voice getting closer, it sounded like two English sailors talking but one had a strong African accent. I tried to stay hidden but they picked up the crate I was behind and spotted me. â€Å"Hey, what you doing ‘ere, Your not supossed to be round ‘ere,† The white sailor said in a gruff voice. The African was quick to notice I had already been branded and must have ran away from my master. He asked me, in Nigerean, my name and what I was doing here. I told them my story and they it turned out we were from the same part of Nigeria and were stopping there on their way back there for some illigitimate trading of tea leaves and tobacco. They were both kind men and disagreed with the principle of slavery, they were quick to take pity on me and put me in an empty crate to hide me until on the ship. The trip back was much more comfortable than before. Although I slept below deck with the crates, I was allowed on deck whenever I wanted. I never went hungry for that ten week trip and rebuilt much of my strength. I showed gratitude for my rescue by doing odd jobs around the boat, usually cooking for the crew or scrubbing the deck. When we reached the main port of Nigeria I was so happy, it was a terrible ordeal for anyone to go through and something I was lucky to survive. The scar on my forehead is a constant reminder and my mental scars will never go away but I learnt many things during that time. I will never again take my freedom for granted and I cherish every moment of life with my family in the place where I truly belong.

Integration theory Essay

In introducing the revisionist phase of integration theory, Haas (1971: 26–30) explicitly withdrew his earlier exclusion of public opinion. This is particularly evident in his new ‘master concept’ of authority legitimacy transfer or sharing: ‘a formulation I would myself prefer to the stress put on elite loyalties in my own earlier formulations’. Indicators of this concept are observable in activity ‘in specific functional and organizational sectors and. . . in elite and mass perceptions’ (emphasis added). The acceptance of public opinion in the political arena is very transparent in the linkage of variables that quantify the percentage of interaction within the context of the masses and the elites’ political perception. Haas advocates focusing on the notion of social learning as a major link, speculating on the various elements that might be involved; for example, increased contact and familiarity, growing complexity in the pattern of inter-group loyalties and social roles, education and informal socialization practices and progressively rewarding experiences derived from the activities of common markets. On the other hand, Schmitter (1971: 233) is quite explicit about his revisionist intentions, offering ‘a revised formalization of the neo-functionalist or structuralist theory of the political consequences of regional integration with pretensions to general comparative relevance. ’ the significant factor in this theory lies on the connection of the differing variables and hypothesis in accordance to the attitudes and perceptions of the populace, which represents numerous political groups and parties. It all depends, therefore, on whether one takes a broad or narrow definition of these groups. Schmitter does not explicitly address this question but a broad definition is clearly implied by his operationalization of the variables in question. Thus the variable â€Å"elite value complementarity† is operationalized by reference to ‘panel type survey data on the nature and intensity of commitment to similar goals within and across integrating units’. That the operationalization includes public opinion data is clear from the accompanying footnote which includes reference to Inglehart’s work on public opinion and European integration. Similarly, regional identity is operationalized by reference to ‘panel survey research on selected samples exposed to intensive regional socialization; inference from single surveys on the residual importance of regional contacts/level of information when controlled for other variables’, and Inglehart’s work is again cited (Schmitter 1971: 252). Thus, we can infer that neo-functionalism’s principles are geared towards the affirmation on the importance of public opinion. In the development of Nye’s revised neo-functionalist model, public opinion enters the scheme at two points. First, attitudinal integration—described as definitive appeal—figures in an expanded list of ‘process mechanisms’. In addition to determining whether or not a regional identity exists, Nye argues that it is necessary to assess the degree of salience and urgency attached to it and whether or not it is accompanied by a ‘myth of permanence and inevitability’ (1971: 73). The other side of this variable is the persistence of competing national identities. Secondly, public opinion enters as a variable in the domestic arena influencing the actions of national political leaders. Actors in the original neo-functionalist model—mainly the integrationist technocrats and interest group representatives—need to be supplemented by ‘electoral or support politicians’ whose primary function is to legitimize the actions involved in regional integration. This implies a very clear role for public opinion in the process of integration, which is reinforced by the inclusion of ‘the category of mass opinion, or more accurately of opinion leaders, who create broad or narrow limits for the legitimacy of integrationist programs’ (1971: 63). Media is one of the major catalysts in the proliferation and in the validation of public opinion. Because through this, a political group can draw out what platforms they should espouse so that the electorate will vote for them. In terms of the electorate, public opinion will serve as their contribution in landscaping a new political condition, as well as the status quo of the preexisting politics. Since public opinion formulates how politics should operate there is a great necessity to ensure that such opinions are clearly express in order for it to be addressed and to be recognized. And the most effective means to satisfy such necessity is to use the media. The obvious question which then arises is why the new emphasis did not make an immediate impact on the research agenda. The problem was that, almost as soon as this broadening occurred and before it could really take hold, the theory itself seemed to be bypassed by events and treated by its authors, either explicitly or implicitly, as obsolescent. As noted earlier, it was rescued from oblivion by the resurgence of European integration in the mid-1980s. References: Haas, E. B. (1971). The Study of Regional Integration: Reflections on the Joy and Anguish of Pre-theorizing’. In Regional Integration: Theory and Research: Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press. Key, V. O. (1961). Public Opinion and American Democracy: New York: Knopf.

Externalities in Economics Essay

Externality is yet another significant source of market failure. It is owing to the lack of property rights that externality arises. According to Jaen (2005), by externality we mean the situation when the cost or benefits related to a transaction not only affects the transactors but also the other parties which is called party effect. Non-inclusion of such effect in decision making causes externality and hence market failure. Jaen added that an example of this is pollution from factories which adversely affects the health of the people in the neighborhood. But such a cost is not included in the estimation of cost of production; accordingly there is increase supply. This is called negative or harmful externality. Jaen (2005) added that externality could be beneficial as well and he cited an example, the painting of house by individual A may lead in its market value and also that of the other properties in the neighborhood. Thus the benefit accrues to the third party; this is an example of positive externality. Before explaining externality further, we must make a distinction between private cost or benefit and social cost or benefit. In a given society, the resources are said to be optimally allocated when the social marginal cost is equal to the social marginal benefit. Free markets would optimally allocate the resources when private costs are equal to social costs and private benefits are the same as social benefits (Jaen, 2005). There would be negative externality when social cost exceeds private costs and positive or beneficial externality when social benefits exceed private benefits. _________________________ Jaen, T. R. & Ohri, V. K. (2005). Principles of Microeconomics. Page 324 – 332 Externalities arise when one economic agent does not compensate others for his actions which may directly affect their consumption or production possibilities. Smokers, who do not, for example, pay for increasing others’ risk of cancer, or for the discomfort they may cause, produce externalities. According to Miyao & Kanemoto (1987), urban life is filled with examples of externalities: manufacturing producers may cause air and water pollution which negatively affects residence and other producer; some individuals may have racial prejudice against certain ethnic groups; a household may benefit from beautiful gardens of its neighbors; firms often prefer to locate in larger cities because of proximity to other firms; and an additional traveler in a congested road imposes external cost on other travelers by slowing them down. According to the Fundamental Theorem of Welfare Economics, a competitive equilibrium is efficient in the Pareto optimal sense if all goods are private goods and no externalities exist. This result, however, breaks down if there are externalities. An individual decision maker who generates externalities does not take into account actual external cost or benefits imposed on others; his decision must therefore be corrected to account for external effects. Externalities, thus present a case of potential market failure where go government intervention may be called for to guide a decentralized market system toward a point where resource allocation is efficient (Miyao & Kanemoto, 1987). It is however, too early to jump to the conclusion that government action are always justified when there are externalities; for example, individual who suffer from water pollution have an incentive to get together and bribe firms to reduce pollution. The reason why this may not happen is that the transaction cost to set up a market for pollution may be too high. ___________________________ Miyao, T. & Kanemoto, Y. (1987). Urban Dynamics and Urban Externalities. Page 100 According to Miyao & Kanemoto (1987), if the government has to incur the same transactions cost as private individuals, then government intervention cannot improve resource allocation. Even if government intervention is justifiable, the government has to choose an appropriate policy among alternative policy measures. For example, introducing a Pigouvian tax/subsidy system is one way of modifying individuals’ action to achieve an efficient allocation (Miyao & Kanemoto, 1987). A tax` placed on pollution will ten to reduce the amount of externality. If a corrective tax is set equal to the marginal externality cost suffered by others, an efficient allocation is achieved. One problem with the Pigouvian tax/subsidy, however, is that it usually requires high administrative cost. As Miyao & Kanemoto (1987) stated, in some cases, direct regulation of private activities such as ceiling on pollution emissions and a control of land use may be less costly; moreover the government might also have to resort to cruder measures. For example, a Pigouvian tax/subsidy system for traffic congestion requires congestion tolls whose levels are different for different roads depending on the severity of congestion. External effects have been studied by economist ever since the days of Marshall & Pigou; along with development of the field environmental economics, the theory of externalities has remained of great and growing importance in economic science (Jeroen 1999). As Jeroen (1999) quoted, â€Å"indeed it is fair to say that, starting from the traditional neoclassical economic framework, the most logical way to look at problems of environmental pollution is from the perspective of external cost†. It was also added that â€Å"however, although economist have been investigating the concept of externalities for a long time, both theoretically and empirically, ______________________________ Miyao, T. & Kanemoto, Y. (1987). Urban Dynamics and Urban Externalities. Page 100 Jeroen, C. & van den Bergh, J. M. (1999). Handbook of Environmental and Resource Economics. New York: Edward Elgar Publishing. externalities still prove to be an area of slippery ice†. Frequently, one finds fuzzy discussions on the discussions on the policy implications of external cost. According to Jeroen (1999), this may often result from, for instance, mixing up equity and allocative efficiencies arguments , from mistaking pecuniary externalities for true or technological externalities from some sense of compassion with the victims of externalities on equity ground, leading to pleas for ‘compensation’ which may often be unwarranted from the perspective of allocative efficiency The Concept of Environmental Externalities in Economics In recent years, economist have reluctantly added new variable in their economic thinking to account for the side-effects induced by the production of goods (Hokikian, 2002). They have labeled the parameter â€Å"externalities† (normally used in plural due to its multiple effects) because it usually affects, costwise, people other than who are directly buying, selling, or using the goods in question. When nuclear reactors produce electricity, we are gratified because we put electricity to such uses as washing and drying dishes and clothes. But when the nuclear generate highly reactive by-products, we are annoyed because the nuclear wastes are dangerous to our health. Economist call these unwanted nuclear waste externalities, because most of the cost associated with storing, regulating, and transporting them are not added directly into the cost of electricity. Pollution from economic point of view is the production of waste, dirt, noise, and other things we do not want. As Hokikian (2002) illustrated, for example, we do want steel and cement, but we do not want the smoke produced by the output processes; we do want mechanical energy from heat engines, but we do not want the released heat, which we call thermal pollution. _____________________________ Hokikian, J. (2002). The Science of Disorder: Understanding the Complexity, Uncertainty, and Pollution in our World. page 161 Economists’ externalities are nature’s entropy. Since the middle of nineteenth century, we have known that all processes increase in entropy; yet only recently have humans become a highly entropic creature, generating massive amounts of entropy. Externalities have become a major variable in industrial societies; as humans advanced technologically, we became a major producers of waste products that through the years have gradually accumulated to the point when we can no longer ignore their existence (Hokikian, 2002). Paretian Welfare Criteria and Market Failures Mainstream neoclassical micro and welfare economics theories suggest that governments should in principle be reserved in intervening directly in the economic process (Jeroen, 1999). According to Jeroen (1999), it is broadly accepted that economic science should aim at providing value free descriptions and analyses of human choice, and the associated social processes, under conditions of scarcity. As it is not possible to construct a value-free social welfare function according to some ethically objective criterion, welfare economics has an inherent tendency to rely on quite humble criteria for the evaluation of different possible outcomes of economic processes, for instance under different forms of government interventions. As Jeroen (1999) stated, although the concept of external effects is widely used in economics, there seems to be some confusion about its exact definition and interpretation. He added that, it is commonly recognized that externalities are an important form of market failure. ______________________________ Hokikian, J. (2002). The Science of Disorder: Understanding the Complexity, Uncertainty, and Pollution in our World. page 161. Jeroen, C. & van den Bergh, J. M. (1999). Handbook of Environmental and Resource Economics. page 197. their existence leads to a deviation from the first-best neoclassical world, in which the price mechanism takes care of an efficient resource allocation (Pareto Efficiency). According to Jeroen (1999), in the presence of ext3ernalities, market prices do not reflect full social costs or benefits, and, for instance, regulatory taxes or subsidies are called for to restore the efficient workings for the market mechanism. Furthermore, it is generally accepted that the source of externalities is typically to be found in the absence of well defined property rights (qtd. in Jeroen, 1999). Consequently, the theory of is often applied in environmental economics: environmental quality is a typical good from which property rights are not defined and hence no market exists. These commonplaces may clearly indicate the causes and consequences of external effects, but still leave the definition unclear; such a definition can be as follows: an external effect exists when an actor’s utility function contains a real variable whose actual value depends on the behavior of another actor, who does not take this effect of his behavior into account in his decision making process. According to Jeroen (1999), the above definition concerns technological externalities as opposed to pecuniary externalities. These latter which are ruled out by considering real variables only (that is, excluding monetary variables), do not lead to shifts of production and utility functions, but merely to movements along these functions. Consequently, externalities as defined above are potentially ‘Pareto relevant’ (if costs of correcting for the market failure do not exceed the welfare gains to be obtained), whereas pecuniary externalities are not, because they do not reflect a failing market. As Jeroen stated, the final condition in the __________________________ Jeroen, C. & van den Bergh, J. M. (1999). Handbook of Environmental and Resource Economics. page 197. definition distinguishes externalities from other types of unpriced interactions, such as barter, violence, jealousy, altruism or good-will promoting activities (for instance , handing out samples as products as part of a commercial campaign). Such phenomena differ fundamentally from external effects, both in a theoretical and in a policy-relevance sense. There have always been economist interested in positive or negative externalities; however, they largely been marginalized within the profession as externalities were seen as market failure that needs to be corrected or avoided (Maiser & Sedlacek, 2004). The consequences that recent literature has demonstrated also made economist shy away for along time from accepting externalities as integral part of the economic system. If economist want to understand the growth of an economy over time, they need t allow for externalities. Based on Maiser & Sedlacek (2004), these externalities lead to imperfect competition and tend to agglomerate production at certain locations in the economy. They added that, the resulting spatial structure leads to specialization, transportation and further externalities. This moves the spatial perspective closer to the core of economics. â€Å"As it turns out, if we can explain geographical concentration, then we can go along way toward explaining important aspects of international trade and economic growth (qtd. in Maiser & Sedlacek, 2004). The Influence of Government Policy on the Choice of Production Practices and Chemical Use Government influence on the choice agricultural production practices and the attendant use of chemicals has a variety of forms. Before exploring these alternatives, it is important to __________________________ Maiser, G. & Sedlacek, S. (2004). Spillovers and Innovations: Space, Environment, and the Economy. page 11. understand the rational for government intervention: externalities arising from the interaction between the agricultural sector and the rest of society. Externalities exist in situations where the activities of an economic agent (qtd. in Uri, 2005). As what Uri (2005) stated, consider the application by the farmer of pesticides that runoff into surface drinking water supplies and are ingested by individuals. Drinking water with high concentrations of pesticides has suspected risk and associated cost to human health; this is an example of a negative externality because the action of the farmer adversely affects the welfare of consumers. The absence of externalities is one of the conditions required for competitive markets to achieve an efficient allocation of resources. This is not meant to imply, however, that the presence of an externality requires government intervention. According to Uri (2005), in many situations, the involved parties may negotiate a solution that will address the externality problem and result in an efficient resource allocation. For example, restricting pesticide spaying during certain times to minimize community exposure to drifting pesticides can be the result of voluntary agreement between a farmer and the residents surrounding the farmer’s cropland. There are, however, externalities where the interaction between private parties does not lead to an efficient allocation of resources. Government intervention may be consider in these instances even though there is no guarantee that the intervention will lead to an enhance efficiency; such situations are referred to as externality problem or market failure (Uri, 2005). Uri, N. D. (2005). Agriculture and the Environment. New York: page 60. Government intervention can take a variety of forms including, taxes, subsidies, subsidies, and educational, and technical assistance, as Uri (2005) stated. There are other situations where intervention is justified on the basis of distributional equity considerations. Even if an efficient resource allocation could be obtained through private and public approaches, the solution could be sub-optimal from society’s perspective if it results from equities in terms of income distribution or the burden of regulation (Uri, 2005). Because distributional inequity is so highly subjective, however, little discussion will be devoted to it in what follows. As previously noted externalities play a central role in the economics of the interaction between the agricultural sector and the stock of natural resources. According to Uri (2005), to mitigate the impact of externalities, a number of policy options are available to the government; these policy options in general have the potential to impact the production practices adopted by farmers and the use of agricultural chemicals.

Term Paper on What are the causes and effects of Rapid population Essay

Term Paper on What are the causes and effects of Rapid population growth in third world countries - Essay Example According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA 1999) the world population is expected to reach a total of 9.1 billion in 2050 and all of the growth will take place in the less developed countries. This means that there will be significant increases in the populations of countries of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, parts of Asia and Eastern Europe. Overpopulation results from a lower death rate and a higher birth rate. One of the major causes of rapid population growth is attributed to the discoveries and improvements in science and technology. With the improvement in medical technology and the discoveries of vaccines, new medicines and the extinction of many childhood diseases, many persons have a longer life span and even if they are faced with multiple diseases medicines and foods have helped in the cure and the possibility of living longer. With the implementation of public health programs many governments have been instrumental in containing infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. More people have access to a cleaner, safer supply of drinking water. The population of most developing countries increases at two percent to four percent per year (Stanton, 2003). They hold eighty percent of the world’s population. The forty nine least developed countries in the world have the fastest growth rate. These cou ntries include Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Mali, Yemen, Malawi. The three projected possibilities indicate a large increase when compared with the population explosion of the 1950’s. It also shows an increasing trend that may continue to grow well beyond the year 2050. Many families in developing countries, although they have access to family planning advice and methods still prefer to have large families which may be due to traditional or religious reasons or a combination of

Budgetary Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Budgetary Planning - Essay Example In the meantime, if the employees find it difficult to attain the targets then it might instead be de-motivating for them (University of Gothenburg. â€Å"Budget-A Perfect Management Tool†). Organizations can allocate certain percentage of budget in order to motivate the employees when they are performing well in an organization. For instance, the company can arrange for travel program for the sales support team that attains the target on a stipulated period of time. In such cases, the company will bear the complete expenses of the employees sent for travelling along with the family (University of Gothenburg. â€Å"Budget-A Perfect Management Tool†). Such kind of budgets can assist in motivating the employee to a great extent and thus can assist the organization to attain its objectives within a short period of time. It is to be remembered that such budgets help to augment the performance of the employees and thus increase their productivity as well. Budget is one of the significant sources of motivation for the employees. Hence, it is crucial for an organization to plan budgets in a way so that it can be utilized for the purpose of motivating the employees. It is to be remembered by the employers that the budgets will have no motivational effects unless they are accepted by the managers involved as their own personal target. In such circumstances, the employer needs to make the managers involvement compulsory in such activities. It is a well known fact that the demanding budgets are seen as more applicable in comparison to less difficult targets. However, negative attitudes can result in if they are viewed as too complex. Therefore, in such circumstances, allocation of budget needs to be done properly so that it serves as a motivational tool. Acceptance of budgets is facilitated when good upward communication exists. The use of departmental meetings can be quite helpful in encouraging the managers to accept